Starting Over
by expelius
Summary: After the war, Harry loses almost all his friends to the manipulation of the Ministry. With his career in full swing, he decides to head to Forks, Washington with his new family, leaving the press and the Wizarding world. Slash. Now Complete.
1. The Interview

**Disclaimer: I do not own anything Harry Potter or Twilight related. If I did, I wouldn't even be here.**

Summary: After the war, Harry has started his new career and surprisingly, it isn't anything related to the Wizarding world. Abandoned by most of his friends, he decides to move to Forks, Washington in order to get rid of the press hounding his every step.

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**Chapter I - The Interview**

Harry Potter had never been an extraordinary person except everyone said he was. At first he didn't agree with them and then as time passed he tended to agree with them more and more. He didn't know whether it was just something that happened to people when the people around them kept on repeating what they thought or whether it was just true. He knew that there were cases when a community of people would say something about a person so many times that said person would end up believing them. Maybe that was his case.

Either way, he was certain he was going to keep thinking it. The many things he did and got caught up in weren't things a normal wizard would do. Hell, not even Dumbledore had gone through so much. And it only proved his point more than not.

The brunette crossed his arms and glanced at his digital watch, which was conveniently displayed straight up so all he had to do was look down slightly and he would see it. He didn't want to make it obvious that he didn't want to be there. It would only give the paparazzi more ammunition against him, something he didn't want to give them anymore.

Saying that he was bored was the understatement of the century. He would absolutely rather be doing something else. Something much more worthwhile. There was a reason why he didn't like giving interviews, be it about his career or about what he had done a few short months ago. His band had done so. God had they done so, but he hadn't. Not until this very moment.

It was very exasperating, to say the least. These people didn't know when to give up on a story. He would say no and they would just return and want to talk to him again. It wasn't like there wasn't anyone else out there they could stalk and write about. But then, maybe some of this was his fault as well. He was the one who decided to go in the career that he had. If he hadn't done so, he probably would have less fame. But then again, the stupid reporters would have found a way to write more stories about him then they already did. The only difference between the reporters was that these were now Muggle, or at least, most of them were.

So here he was, trying desperately to look like he liked being there and nothing else mattered.

He slouched back into the chair and gave the woman in front of him a large, dazzling smile. That would satisfy her and the other idiots who were out there somewhere snooping around to see it they could find something about him.

"So," the woman blinked and smiled back at him like he had really meant it, "let's get started."

Harry nodded. "Please," he purred. That would certainly get attention. Maybe even make this interview less painful. But then again......he never knew.

~O~

As soon as Harry left the building, flashes of cameras went off in his face and left him blind with a large colorful spot in the middle of his vision. What the hell was wrong with these people? Didn't they get enough from what he had given in the interview? It wasn't like they couldn't get their hands on the material in record time. He was certain that by that evening everyone would be running the story. And if not that story, they they would be commenting on the interview he gave and how it was so rare blah blah blah.

He smiled and waved, with a fake happiness that sickened him on the inside. Since when had he mastered pretension? It came so easily now, but he guessed it was from all the years of fighting a war that he had never wanted to fight. From being friends with those who turned their backs on him as soon as the job had been done and over with. But then, his life had always been like that. Why had he thought it could be any different? He had learned from the best and now they got to deal with the Harry they had created.

"Mr. Potter, now that your career has taken off in full swing, will you be returning to that place you have always called home? And if so, where is that place? Is there a special person you would like to visit now that you have time to do so?" The wizard hadn't seen the reporter before and it irritated him that more and more were showing up.

Harry froze for a moment to think about the question.

The place he had always called home had been Hogwarts and even that place didn't want him as much as it had before. It didn't feel like home anymore. It was one thing to think about it as a safe place and actually be safe and another to think about it as a place of war and destruction because that was what it was. He didn't want to go back to the place where so many had died. It was one of the reason why he had refused to finish his schooling. Why he hadn't take his "eighth year" while everyone else did, or at least most of everyone else had. He knew of two others who had refused to take their eighth year as well.

No, there were too many deaths there. He would never be able to return even if he wanted to do so. But, he was sure he would be able to find another place. As to that special person.....There wasn't anyone special enough for him to visit. No one he really wanted to take the time to spend with out of his career. They were all gone from his life. Every single person who had really matter to him was gone. There were only a few and even those he hadn't seen in a long time.

Shaking his head, "No, I won't return to that place again. It holds too many memories that are painful and I, for once, do not want to have pain in my life." If only that was possible.

Another reported stuck his sleek, silver, little recorder up to Harry's mouth. The action alone made Harry want to punch him. Maybe if he showed them aggression they would leave him alone. "Then where will you go? It is understood that you have no relatives that you could travel to. There is almost no one in England who is related to you." Again he repeated the question from before. "How about that special person? Is that whom you are going to visit?"

Pesky little reporters. Why the hell did they care where he went or not? Or course, if he told them, it would make their life so much easier because they wouldn't have to look for him. All they would have to do is show up at his doorstep with their little cameras and recorders. They would bring along their notepads if they didn't have a recorder. Then, they would bombard him with meaningless questions. However, they wouldn't even get a name from him as there was none. _If they just _knew_ it would be a scandal that they would be all over it. It isn't something I would like at this moment._

He smiled, as in a spur of the moment, he decided that he was going to move far away. In a remote little town where no one would be able to find him.

"My friend, I don't think you will be privy that information."

"Can you at least give us a hint of your next whereabouts? The name of the person, perhaps?" It was the same reporter from before. Stupid little person. He didn't know when to give up. Ready to harass him until he got the information he wanted. Well, he wasn't going to get anything. And he would have to deal with nothing because that was exactly what he was going to get.

In fact, he wanted to take the recorder and stick it so far up a place that he was sure the reporter wouldn't like.

Again, Harry shook his head. "What would be the fun in telling you where I am going? No, I don't think I will tell you. And that person you expect me to have doesn't exist. Not everyone has to have someone to go to when they get tired of their life. I have lived so far without meaningless people and I don't intend to start now." He lifted his face so that all the reporters could hear him and they could write it down and spread the word. "I will be leaving London in the near future. There is no date as to when I will come back but rest assure that the location I am heading to will be kept secret from all of you. I do not want to be bothered while I'm away. A little privacy will go a long way. If any of you are stupid enough to follow me then you will pay the consequences." He knew they would be all over the threat. _**The Next Big Story**_. But he didn't care as much as he should have.

Harry took another step down the sidewalk. He didn't like threatening people but he also knew that they wouldn't resist not knowing where he was going. That was why he was going to make it sound like it was somewhere really special. They would think that he went to a place where everyone went. Then, when they found out that he wasn't there, eventually they would give up on their search and leave him alone for a while. By then, he would have a plan to get rid of them again.

Many of the paparazzi followed him to his flat where he bade them good bye and opened the gate that led to his apartment. As soon as the gate was closed, he could feel all the tension leave his body. It was like a weight had been lifted from his shoulders and now he could rest easily. All the irritation evaporated and he was left tired and exhausted.

He opened his door and stepped inside, automatically throwing down his jacket and kicking off his dress shoes. He hated being out in public dressed like he was.

The brunette unbuttoned his garnet, long-sleeved shirt and untucked it. He fell onto the sofa and laid his head back on the backrest reliving the interview he had given earlier, trying to think if he had made a mistake with some answers he had given. Hopefully, he hadn't given anything away. The reporter he had talked to seemed to be able to pick up on everything he had said.

Where could he go that no one would be able find him, or, at least where people would take several years to find him? It had to be somewhere where people didn't want to go. The place had to be small enough that no one would pay attention to it, while at the same time a place where he wouldn't really stand out much.

Standing up, he paced the length of the living room. His thoughts were racing through his head. He would have to start using less magic. He was sure the reporters would find a way to trace his magical signature back to him. Maybe he would give it up completely.

He had to leave England, that was for sure. Everyone in England would recognize him as the Bloody-Boy-Who-Lived. So staying would be out of the question. That also took out Russia and France. They knew him as well as the British Magical Community did. Australia would be too hot for him to go to. He didn't want to go to China or Japan only because he didn't know their language.

Mexico was just out of the question. Not a country he looked forward to going, even though in the time he had been there he had learned how to speak the language fluently. There were other reasons why he refused to go back. It didn't have to do with the people in particular, but again with the fucking press. Even _they_ didn't know when to leave him alone. He had given one show there and the next day had been pure hell to go through. But it hadn't stopped the rest of his band from keeping him there for a complete month.

Africa was just a no.

Harry froze mid stride. He had gotten up to pace when he remembered. He knew where he was going. He ran into his study and pulled out a map of the United States he had. It had been a present from one of his fangirls. He had accepted it only because he had thought it rude to throw it away right after she had given it to him. He may have been anything, but he didn't disrespect his fans like that. They were the only thing that kept him going when he didn't want to go anymore. Of course, he liked the ones from now more than he had liked the ones from when he had been at Hogwarts.

He glacened at the map once he had found it. He hadn't paid much attention to it, but now that he saw it, he knew it had the locations of all the concerts he had given in America. He had a similar one of Britain and Scotland and the other countries he had visited. It seemed that this girl followed all of his shows.

He smiled. Those were the kind of people he liked. They were the people who would just up and leave everything to follow his music. They were the people anyone could count on as being there. They were the people who made his music what it was.

Despite the happiness that surged through him at this thought, he bypassed all the red markings on the map until he had reached Washington State. That was his destination. He would go there and then he would make his life as best as possible. There would be no media to hinder him and he could start anew.

Who would have thought that something Hermione had said to him a long time ago would come in handy? Of course, she had just been reciting things from her excellent memory just so she could show off her knowledge about everything. He hadn't minded then, but now he knew what she had been all about. He knew that she had somehow influenced those around them to leave him. Starting with Ron, the one person who had sworn never to abandon him.

He spotted the tiny writing that said the name of the town he would be headed to in three days time.

Forks, Washington. The one place on Earth that was so remote no one had heard of it. Almost every day of the year it rained and it would be the perfect place for him to hide at. He would be the "new kid on the block". He would go to school and he would pretend to learn whatever it was they were learning. Now all the had to do was convince his manager to not only approve of the trip but to also pass off as his guardian.

It wouldn't do if he went to the town with no one to "take care" of him.

Grinning, Harry pulled out his cell phone and dialed the number of the direct line to his manager. He drummed his fingers against the table for a moment while the phone on the other end rang five times and was answered by a cheery voice.

"Harry, darling, what is it you want at this time of the day? Did your interview go well? If it didn't, tell me so I won't make the same mistake again."

The brunette rolled his eyes and ran a hand through his slightly long hair. He needed to get a hair cut. Granted, he hadn't gotten one in the last year, but he didn't like his hair longer than normal. It made him look like a girl and he was a guy in almost every sense of the world.

"Calm down, Blake. The interview went as it should have gone. They asked questions and I answered them to the best of my ability. Though, you will have to look at some of the magazines. If I am not mistaken, some of the reporters will make me come off as rude and arrogant. Take care of those. They will cause the most problems. God, don't kill them or hurt them, just get rid of their stories. But that isn't why I called....." He let the sentence trail off so that his manager could get that sense of uneasiness that he got when he did that.

The line went silent from Blake's end as he thought about what that "something else" could be. When he couldn't think of it he gave up and spoke in a quiet voice. "Harry, what is it?"

"Blake, what would you think about a road trip to America?"

He heard the groan from the other end and grinned. Just the reaction he had expected.

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**A/N:** Please read and review. Thank you very much. I will try to update everyday, but life is uncertain and things may come up.

Oh, and I added a playlist of the songs later to come with the story. It will be updated as they appear in the chapters.


	2. Some Old Friends

**Disclaimer: I do not own anything Harry Potter or Twilight related.**

Summary: Just as he is getting ready to leave, Harry finds out he has more friends than he thought he did.

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**Chapter II: Some Old Friends**

Having just thrown the last article of clothing into the suitcase, Harry pulled on the zipper to close it and heard the doorbell to his flat ring. He didn't know who it could be that was knocking on his front door.

At least he knew it couldn't be the reporters that had been harassing him all week. They had learned their lesson to stay away from his flat after an unfortunate accident.

One of the reporters had been too insistent and had actually managed to get to his floor. Of course, he hadn't gotten further than that. A surge of electrical power had knocked him unconscious. He hadn't been hurt in any physical or mental way but he had learned not to get too close to his flat. They had all learned. Since then, none of them had dared to get any closer than the front gate that led to the complex building.

So now, Harry literally had no idea who was knocking on his door. If it was a reporter again, he was going to strangle the person, consequences be damned.

He grabbed the doorknob and pulled the door open only to stand there in his place and stare at the visitor, or rather visitors. He couldn't believe who had knocked on his door. It had been months since he had seen them; almost a year to be more exact. What did they want now? After the war they hadn't really talked to each other, each having gone their separate ways. But he couldn't really believe his eyes. They were standing at his doorway looking like they belonged there.

One of his visitors smiled and waved his hand in front of Harry's face, trying to get his attention. "Harry, love, are you going to invite us in or are we going to have to push on past you?"

The brunette blinked and moved to the side to let in his two visitors. He was still in a state of shock. This was unbelievable. They were here and yet, it didn't seem to sink in yet.

He shook his head roughly and closed the door. "What are you two doing here?" He took in their appearance. The girl was, as always, different than anyone else he had ever met. She seemed to have grown in the last couple of months. As well as left some of her eccentricity behind. For the moment she was dressed in an almost normal way, except for the earrings with the radishes hanging from her ears.

The boy was tall, taller than he had been when they had last seen each other. He seemed to have finally come into his own body. He wasn't awkward in his own any more. He was perfectly at ease, aware of his surroundings.

Harry had the distinct impression that he couldn't really think of them as boy and girl anymore. They were so much more. Calling them that would only undermine what they now were.

They had grown.

"We heard you were leaving for a time," the blond stated in a matter-of-fact voice. Her eyes were distant, as if she was there but not really. It wasn't the kind of look she had before. There was a pain behind her expressions. Probably a casualty of the war they had had to fight in.

Harry motioned to the seats. "Sit down. Can I get you something-? I mean....I don't have much really but I'm sure that if I look around I can find something for you." He pulled on his shirt slightly and turned his head as if to look for something around the living room. He didn't know how to act around them anymore. They had been friends a few months back but they were different now. They hadn't seen each other in some time.

"It's okay."

Harry looked at the girl again and found her giving him a slight shake of her head.

Frowning, Harry sat down as well and leaned forward. He still couldn't believe that Neville Longbottom and Luna Lovegood were sitting in his living room. It appeared that he hadn't really lost all his friends after the war. Here, sitting in front of him, were two people who had fought with him in the war and hadn't taken everyone else's opinion about him. They were two of the people who hadn't really abandoned him after everything that had happened. They were two people who had heard that he was leaving and decided to pay him a visit like old times. The very gesture made him feel secure about his decision.

After the war, the Ministry of Magic had wanted to prevent the rise of another Dark Lord. Who had they turned on? Him. Of course. His life could never be easy; _would_ never be easy. There were people who didn't believe the magical government. Their idol couldn't turn dark. They refused to believe it and they had good reasons why. But there were others who believed wholeheartedly that he would and they hadn't asked for any information from him. They had just turned their backs. They had pulled away from him, leaving him feeling alone, like he had been when he had entered the Wizarding World. It was ironic how he had left just like he had arrived. They were the people who were important in the Wizarding World.

He had thought that after he had pulled away from everyone in the Wizarding World he had lost everyone. The ones who had not left him had been disappointed when he had left the community. It seemed like it wasn't true.

He still had friends.

Neville reached over and placed his hand over Harry's. His long fingers wrapped around Harry's smaller hand. He gave Harry a gentle smile and squeezed his hand in a reassuring way.

"Neville...."

"No, Harry. It's okay. Everything we have gone through leads us to what we must do for our future. _Everything_ we did in our past _was_ for our future." He gave Harry a genuine smile and pushed some bangs that obscured Harry's face from him. "We must live on. I have and Luna wants to."

"I shouldn't have left you."

Shaking his head, Neville leaned forward, never letting go of Harry's hand. "Stop lamenting what had to happen. Think about all the things you have done in the time you have been away from us. Think about everything you wouldn't have been able to do if you had stayed to live half the life you have now. You did what you had to do. Leaving was only part of the Grand Design of Life. This was meant to happen. If you would have stayed, I would have held you back from becoming what you are."

Luna nodded silently. She had either missed the significance of the conversation or she had chosen to ignore it. Either way, she seemed to be there to comfort Harry and Neville. A friend until the end.

"I don't understand."

Neville frowned slightly. "Harry, I can't say we didn't have something special, because we did, but it is in the past now and we can't go back and _change_ the past. Let it rest. We must look to the future and make the decisions to get where we want to be. We have seen many things since the war really started. We have seen more deaths than an average person our age should see. We have been through hell just to be where we are. We are lucky to be alive and we have to celebrate our lives as much as we can.

"If you would have stayed after the war, I don't think you would have kept your sanity. All those rumors the Ministry spread, about you being the next Dark Lord would have probably become true. If not for the same reasons as Tom then because you would have gotten fed up with what they were saying about you. You needed to be away from it all so you could start anew. Everything, Harry. Even those you loved back then. We were just stopping you from fulfilling the rest of your life. We were holding you back, just like you were holding _us_ back. In order to forget and live the rest of our lives, we needed to start fresh from everything. You did that. I did that and Luna is about to go through it.

"Look at yourself now. You're the famous rockstar that everyone wants to meet. The person everyone wants to hear play. They want you, not because you defeated the Dark Lord when you were fifteen months old and didn't know what you were doing, but because you created your fame your own way. You have given more concerts around the world than an average artist can hope to give in their lifetime. This is why you needed to let it all go. This is the real and new you."

Shaking his head, Harry stood up from the seat. "I shouldn't have left. I hurt you."

Sighing, Neville shook his head. "You missed the point of the whole speech, Harry. You helped me in the long run. Yes, I was hurt when you left me, but it was only for a while. I got over it. I _need_ed to get over it. I don't blame you anymore for it. I never really did. After you left me, I wallowed like any other person would. But then I realized that it wasn't going to get me anywhere. It was only holding me back. I took an apprenticeship out of Britain and only just got back. It was refreshing to be away from this place. To meet new people and do what I wanted to do." Neville grinned and sat back into the chair.

Harry studied his friends for a moment. He didn't know when Neville had changed so much. This wasn't the same person he had dated and crushed on months ago. He was a different person altogether. Behind those eyes, Harry could see the hardness that the war had brought on him. Neville wasn't the weak boy from school anymore. He had been raised into a person who could now fend for himself. A few months ago, Neville would have never told him the things he did now. He would never have thought that ending his relationship with Harry would be a good thing. A few years ago, Neville would have coward at the thought of taking an apprenticeship out of the country. He would never have dared to say Voldemort's real name when he had started Hogwarts.

They had seen a lot of death and destruction. They had gone from caring only about themselves and school rivalries to caring about the whole community and fighting _with_ those school rivals to take down those who messed with the community. They had grown up into soldiers. They had been trained to be soldiers.

Now that Harry thought about it, the changes hadn't been all that drastic. They had been there through out the years. He just hadn't had the time to look for them. He had been more involved with the active fighting to notice how much his friends had changed. They had all changed gradually. Growing into themselves like they had been brought up. This was them now. They had grown up too fast.

Sighing, Harry nodded and ran a hand through his hair. "I'll need a few more days of beating up, but I'll let it rest. Old habits die hard." He smiled.

Triumph showed in Neville's eyes and he grinned. Releasing Harry's hand, he sat back and glanced at Luna, who was once more staring into space.

"So what are you really doing here?"

Luna shrugged and sighed softly.

"We actually didn't come here together. I just got into Britain when I heard you were leaving the country. It's actually all over the news and the tabloids. They are trying to figure out why you would leave the country when you already left the community. I don't think they can stand to think of their Hero as wanting a life of his own. Some are even going as far as saying that you are leaving to recruit people to your cause, which, it seems, is becoming the next Dark Lord. I wanted to see you before you left so I came immediately over. I found Luna with her luggaged trying to talk to a car outside. We came up here together. We actually came for the same thing." Neville tried explaining, but he wasn't really making sense.

Just as Harry was about to open his mouth, there was a loud bang from the hallway. He was confused for a second before he actually thought of doing something about it. The whole Luna and Neville thing had slowed down his mind processes, not that they had been pretty fast that day to begin with.

Motioning for them to stay put, Harry went to investigate what it could have been. It couldn't possibly be the damn reporters again, could it?

"Damn it, Potter, why the hell do you put up wards that no one can get through. I mean, you could at least have made an exception for me."

Harry heard the voice and for the second time, he was shocked. What the hell did Malfoy want now?

After the war, Harry had testified in favor of Malfoy and they had struck up a tentative truce that neither of them had wanted to destroy. They had both needed someone to talk to after everything that had happened. After that, they had met several times and they had become something equivalent to best friends, but it had been weeks since Harry had last talked to Draco. He had thought that they were through with their friendship.

The blond raised his eyebrow at Harry and shook his head. "What? Left you speechless, did I?" He dusted his robes and put his wand back into his pocket. "Come on, Potter. I know you are stupid but you can at least show me the rest of your lovely flat." He wrinkled his nose at the word lovely.

Nodding, the smaller wizard led Draco through the hallway to the living room where Luna and Neville were standing. One look at their faces told Harry that they didn't really welcome the ex-Slytherin in their midsts.

"If I knew you were going to have guests, Potter, I would have brought something to share. As it is, I didn't bring anything for the freaks."

Neville snarled and launched himself at Draco. He managed to slug the blond before Harry could even think about stopping him.

Luna acted quicker than Harry would have thought possible. One moment she was staring into space and the next, she had her wand under Draco's chin and her hand on Neville's chest to stop him from going at it with the blond again.

"Neville, stop that. You too, Draco, or I swear you will be banned from ever coming to my flat. I will reinforce the wards so that not even you can come in." Harry glared at the blond, who just shrugged and stepped away from Luna's wand. He winced in pain, but other wise, he didn't show that he had just been hit.

Releasing a sigh of relief, Harry sat down and motioned for them so do the same thing. He intended to find out what the three wanted from him. He understood Draco. They hadn't talked in weeks and they were best friends so he kind of had an excuse. But the other two still confused him.

Neville sat down next to Harry and Luna took the chair. Draco made himself comfortable on the leather couch opposite of Harry and Neville. He raised one perfect eyebrow at Harry and then snickered.

"Potter, I thought you had more class. You dated Longbottom here, didn't you?"

Harry blushed and Neville growled.

The brunette glared at the blond. "What do you want, Draco?" Despite the fact that Draco still mostly called him by his last name, he didn't get used to the idea of calling a friend by his last name, so he had taken up calling him by his name.

"I heard you were leaving the country." The blond answered simply and glared at Neville, who had rolled his eyes at him. "I didn't even know you were in the country to begin with. The last time we spoke, you were somewhere in Mexico. So I packed my things and came over with a proposition."

Harry only heard the phrases "packed my things" and "proposition". That was all he needed to hear. He already knew why Draco had suddenly appeared at his flat. The arrogant Slytherin wanted to go with him to America. How was that even possible? He knew for a fact that Draco had inherited the mansion that his family had kept in France as well as several properties they owned through out Russia and Britain, however, many of those properties had been confiscated by order of the Ministry of Magic. In fact, most of things had been confiscated. Harry had been helping Draco out with a fund he had set up for the blond.

"Why?"

"Because I love you Harry and I don't want to separate myself from you anymore," He stated in voice dripping with sarcasm. "Why the hell do you think, you dolt? I have to get away from all of it sometime. This is the perfect opportunity. No one will think about looking for us in the same place. I mean, to the Wizarding World at large, we have a truce, but nothing more. They don't know about the whole friend thing."

Neville snorted. "This ferret is your best friend?"

Draco sprung to his feet and Neville followed.

Harry reached over and pulled Draco down onto the couch with difficulty. He did the same thing to Neville and then turned to Luna who acted like nothing happened between them. "Luna, you and Neville are here for the same thing, aren't you?"

She smiled and nodded.

"Why?"

Neville answered this time. "Harry, during the war, we lost everything we had. There is really nothing here for us. Luna lost her mother when she was younger. She only had her father and now he is in St. Mungo's and doesn't even want to talk to her. He blames her for all the things that happened last year. My grandma hates me for being 'stupidly foolish and brave'. The only thing we can really do is move away. And for once I agree with Malfoy. This will be the perfect cover. We went our separate ways when the war was over, no one will think about finding us together."

Harry nodded slowly and stood. Up, he needed to think about this for a moment.

Pacing, he ran a hand through his untidy hair and tried to sort out his thoughts.

They wanted to go with him, not because they felt the need to protect him, but because, like him, they were running from their pasts. He had heard that Luna's father had ended up at St. Mungo's. What he hadn't known was that he blamed Luna for everything that had happened. He understood Neville's grandmother. She had lost Neville's parents because they had been fighting against the Dark Lord. She had almost lost him as well. But to go to the extreme of hating him for something he had done in order to protect those around him was something that baffled him.

He glanced at Draco, who was glaring at Neville once more.

He knew everything about Draco. While he had been able to save Draco from prison, he hadn't been able to save his mom or dad. The blond's mom had died just a month after the war ended. His dad was supposed to receive the Kiss in a few weeks time. It was perfectly fine for the youngest Malfoy to flee from everything that brought back painful memories.

Making up his mind, Harry pulled out his cellphone and dialed his manager's number once more.

Blake picked up on the second ring.

Harry had to choose his words carefully. He didn't want Blake to refuse because there were so many of them. So he wouldn't tell him about the others until they arrived at the airport later and he had no choice _but_ accept that he would be stuck with a bunch of teenagers for the next several months if not longer.

"Harry, are you on your way?"

"No, Blake. I just have to close the flat. Look, just how big is the house you bought?"

There was silence for a moment. Blake was confused. When he had spoken to Harry a couple days before, Harry had shown no interest in knowing how big the house was. So to spite him, Blake had bought the biggest house he had found. That would show the famous rockstar to not pay attention to him when he was trying to make his life as comfortable as possible.

"Um......uh......let's just say the house is _very_ spacious."

Harry frowned and narrowed his eyes. "What do you mean by _very _spacious? Blake Clayton Evans, what the hell did you do?"

There was a deep breath from the other end, like he was gathering his courage to give some bad news. Knowing Blake, he probably _was_ going to give some bad news, like, maybe, that he hadn't been able to find a house. "Let's just say that you can fit all the reporters that follow you around and then some. Three to a room of course."

"What?!"

"Hey, stop with the freaking. You weren't paying attention when I was giving you the specifics of the houses I found. So I bought the house I wanted. Don't worry, it's under your name and everything has been taken care of."

Harry took a deep breath and ignored the others in the room with him. "I should fire you for taking so many liberties."

There was a gruff laugh from the other end. "Harry, babe, if you wanted to fire me, you would have done so from the very beginning."

Blake was right.

Harry didn't have the heart to fire him. They had been together since Harry had started his career. In fact, it had been Harry's offer of employment that had saved the man from self-destruction. The man had lost everything in the war, including his home. An ex-deatheater, he hadn't been able to find employment anywhere. He had abandoned the Dark Lord months before the Battle of Hogwarts but he had been pegged. He wore the Dark Mark and even though it was fading, it wasn't fading fast enough.

The Wizards knew him and they hated him.

Harry had taken him in and given him employment. The man had sworn to never turn against him because, despite everything, he would never be able to repay what Harry had done for him.

Sighing, Harry returned his attention to his phone. "Fine, we'll need the space anyway. See you at the airport in a few." He shut off the connection and turned to his friends. "I assume you all have your luggage." At their nods he went to his room and zipped his suitcase up. Shrinking it, he put it in his pocket and turned off the light. He grabbed the VAIO from the desk and closed the door behind him. For a moment, he felt like he was closing a chapter of his life.

When he returned to the Living Room, Draco had changed into muggle clothes and Neville and Luna where no where in sight.

"Where-"

"Said they were going to wait downstairs."

It took only a few seconds to lock the flat and head down to meet Luna and Neville.

* * *

**A/N:** Review!

How do you like the new Neville? and the whole thing with Harry?

Find out more about Blake in the next chapter.

Anyone who reads and reviews will get a cookie =]


	3. Vampires At the Airport

**Disclaimer: I do not own Harry Potter or Twilight, or anything related to the two of them.**

**Summary:** Surprises are encountered at the airport in Seattle.

* * *

**Chapter III: Vampires At the Airport**

"I swear, Potter, next time we go anywhere, we are either driving or taking a portkey." Draco ran a hand through his unusually untidy hair. He didn't look so good to Harry, but then, it was Draco. One could never know with a pureblood from the Malfoy line. They tended to change so much it left his mind reeling.

The people walking closest to the group of four gave them a weird look before moving away from them like they were something out of their world. It was like they didn't dare interact with the foreigners for fear of catching something.

Harry grabbed his luggage and glared at Draco. "Ixnay on the magic talk, Draco."

The blond smirked and grabbed his suitcase as well. "I still suggest driving or taking a portkey. I don't like planes much. They are bothersome and encumber my movements. We can't make that much noise or the bitch appears and gets onto us. That is not my way of travel. I should have my own private jet. No, that won't work either."

"Oh come on, Malfoy. Don't tell me _you_ are afraid of planes. After the Dark Lord, who would have thought?"

Draco sputtered and shook his head. "I am _not_ afraid of anything."

Harry noticed that neither Draco nor Neville seemed much into the whole aggression thing anymore. It seemed like the hours they had been sitting next to each other had paid off. They were acting more civilized with each other, though not really by much. But at least they weren't going at each other's necks anymore.

"I can't believe you're whining, Draco. You were flying First Class. It doesn't get better than that. But to answer your question, your highness. You absolutely cannot drive over a whole country and then a whole ocean. It's impossible unless you did some kind of magic and even then you would be seen." Harry looked over his shoulder to see if they were following him. "As to the portkey......I didn't want to risk someone finding us by tracing the magical signature of the object. The whole point of this little getaway is so I can get away from the reporters and people who want to break into my house and catch me with a special someone."

Neville and Draco glanced at each other and burst into a fit of giggles, drawing attention from the passing people.

Harry turned to them and lifted an eyebrow. "May I ask what is so funny?"

Draco put a hand on Neville's shoulder in order to hold himself upright. He took a deep breath and looked at Harry seriously. "No offense, but you having a special somebody is as remotely possible as me being straight." Draco and Neville burst out laughing again, holding on to each other.

The brunette ran his eyes over both of his friends and frowned slightly. "Yeah, you guys are right. You two couldn't get any more gay." He waved his hand at the way they were holding onto each other and proceeded to walk away from them with Luna following him obediently.

The two yanked away from each other as if they had suddenly been burned and immediately went after Harry who seemed to have stopped in front a tall black haired man. His features were sharp and on the boyish side. His long black hair was pulled back into a ponytail. He wore black tailored slacks with a black buttoned down silk shirt. The sleeves had been rolled up exposing the man's arms from the elbow down.

Draco spotted the Dark Mark on the man's arm and slid his hand into his pocket to have easy access to his wand in case they needed it. Out of the corner of his eyes, he saw Neville do the same thing but a little less discreetly.

As they drew closer, they became confused by the way the two were talking to each other.

"Aw, come on. Harry, you didn't say you were going to bring company. Why didn't you tell me?"

Harry smirked and indicated to the other three with a wave of his hand. "Pretty much because you didn't tell me about the house you bought. An eye for an eye. Now, Blake meet Draco Malfoy, Luna Lovegood, and Neville Longbottom. Guys, this is Blake my manager and our parent for now until we decide to head back." Harry saw the way Blake had tensed when he heard Draco's last name. He hadn't been paying much attention to the others until he heard that name. After the years of slavery under the Malfoys, he had a reason why he would react that way.

Draco's mouth dropped as he took in all of the Deatheater. He was shocked that this was Harry's manager. He had known that his friend had a manager that had reformed his ways but would never have guessed that he would be a Deatheater, or rather ex-deatheater.

Of course, Draco recognized the man. He hadn't been that high up on the Deatheater scale but Draco had made it his mission to know everyone by face and name in case he was ever found out. That had included loyal followers who didn't really do much except attack and raid. He had met Blake Evans several times at the meetings but he had never talked to him. He had always wondered what had happened to him after her had disappeared several months before the end of the war. He guessed that now he knew.

"Evans."

The man nodded slowly at Draco. "Malfoy."

Frowning, Harry cocked his head to the side. "Do you two know each other?"

Seriously, how dense could a person get? How could he not know Blake Clayton Evans when they had both followed the same insane man?

Blake turned to his boss and nodded stiffly. "We have crossed paths before. Our circles didn't really touch but we would both attend the same meetings. I didn't know he was one of your friends."

Harry made a face of understanding and waved his hand. "He is. Saved him from prison and became my friend. Okay now.......did you get the cars I asked for."

The man's face lit up and he motioned toward the entrance. "They're out there waiting to be inspected by his majesty. You should see them." He frowned. "I only got two though. Didn't know you were going to have so much company."

Smirking, Harry led the way. "I told you we were going to need the extra space. Don't worry about the cars. With the two you got now we should be able to get to the house. Then we will see about getting...." He winced and went thoughtful for a moment looking around as if expecting someone. His eyes searched what he could see before tightening his hand on the handle of his suitcase, his knuckles going white from the force of his grip. His emerald eyes met a pair of molten gold ones. He held the gaze for a moment, forgetting that there were other people with him, before he heard Blake's worried voice in his ear.

He returned his attention to his manager. "Then we will see about getting three more so you won't have to share," he continued like he hadn't just interrupted himself. His gaze went back to where he had been staring. The owner of the gold eyes had been joined by another person. They were inhumanly beautiful and only one word passed through his head when he realized this. To his relief the teenager had turned away from him to engage the other person in a conversation.

Luna looked in the direction of Harry's gaze. "Vampires."

Neville and Draco turned and let out a breath at the same time that Blake started to drag Harry away from where he had been standing.

"What are vampires doing here in a crowded place?"

Neville shrugged at Draco's question and pulled on the blonde's sleeve to make him move. "I don't know, but I think it's a good idea if we don't stay put and just head to the house for the time being. If they are after Harry or any one of us, we will know soon enough."

Nodding, Draco followed with Neville and Luna, while Harry hurried on ahead with Blake. He still didn't understand how vampires could walk through humans without slaughtering the whole lot of them. All the vampires they had encountered were bloodthirsty creatures who killed anyone with blood running through their veins. He just hoped that these ones weren't after them, because it was pretty difficult to kill a vampire, even for a wizard*.

~O~

Carlisle went in search of the little baggage they had as the rest of the family caught up.

Edward glanced around the humans before he heard the laughter on the other side of the place. It wasn't really laughter as much as it was giggles. He hadn't heard anyone laugh so freely before. It was like there was nothing in this world that could touch the person in this moment.

Alice walked up behind him and laughed, her tinkling laugh attracting the attention of those close to them. "Edward, ease up a little."

He sighed even though he didn't really have to. "I'm okay, Alice."

If he wasn't a vampire he would have flown forward when Emmett clapped him on the back seconds after he answered. "Let it go, Ed. There will be others." He laughed as Jasper glided up to him and gave him an "I don't think this is the right moment" look. "Jazz, stop looking so constipated. Take life by the horns and make the best of it."

Edward couldn't help but laugh at that. Emmett always seemed to make everyone happy with his goofiness. He was thankful for it, despite everything. He really didn't think he could get over hurting Bella without his siblings' help. He hadn't really loved her like he had wanted to believe but he had cared for her and it had been his fault she had gotten hurt.

He knew she was better off with her mother than with her father. It was the only way he wouldn't be able to hurt her. The only way she would be able to get away from all the danger they put her through by just being in the same place; by breathing the same air.

"Yeah, you guys are right. You two couldn't get any more gay." Edward's head snapped up at those words. His eyes immediately sought out the person with the accent. He found that the words had been directed at the giggling person from earlier. Smiling softly he tried to listen to them and found a hole where they were supposed to be. No not a hole, but a barrier.

Frowning, he let all the voices filter out of his mind, pushing then to the back to see if he could reach out to them, but nothing happened.

"There you go again, Ed. Loosen up, little brother." Emmett grinned and looked around. "Now, where did Rose go." He was off, Alice and Jasper going with him to search out another of their siblings.

He returned his attention to the group of four. They had been joined by a fifth.

"Evans."

"Malfoy."

Edward frowned as, again, he didn't get anything from their thoughts. This new person they had met with was just the same. There was nothing there and it unnerved him. The only person he hadn't heard before had been Bella and that had turned out horrible for the both of them. He had entered a relationship with her because he had been intrigued with the fact that he couldn't hear her mind. It had made her fascinating to him.

He didn't have to be Jasper to feel the tension between the two men as they looked at each other. It was a show of willpower. Who could keep the staring the longest and not look away.

The brunette frowned and moved his head to the side, making his hair fall over his face slightly. "Do you two know each other?"

Edward heard the older man answer for the two of them. "We have crossed paths before. Our circles didn't really touch but we would both attend the same meetings. I didn't know he was one of your friends." What circles was the man talking about? Were they part of the high society in Britain or were they into other things that involved circles of movement? Maybe a cult or a society they were running away from.

He saw the brunette wave his hand but only managed to catch the word car since a group of very loud tourists decided to make themselves known at that very moment.

The vampire growled and moved slightly to his right in order to keep watching the British group.

They had started to move away and toward the entrance of the airport. He could tell that the brunette seemed to be the leader. Maybe he was their boss, but for some reason that didn't seem right. He could have sworn he had seem that boy somewhere else. He looked vaguely familiar and it irritated him that he couldn't even figure out his name since he couldn't read his mind.

"I told you we were going to need the extra space. Don't worry about the cars. With the two you got now we should be able to get to the house." Edward came up against the barrier that surrounded the teen's mind and felt around it. There were no flaws in it, no open spaces where he could squeeze through and get the information he wanted. Then as if deciding he had had enough, he stabbed at the barrier. "Then we will see about getting...." His eyes widened when he saw the teen drop off what he'd been saying in order to look around the airport, as if knowing that someone had just tried to break the barrier that surrounded his mind.

Edward stood frozen as the other looked around. Seconds later, a pair of emerald eyes locked with his amber ones and held.

He heard the man next to him say the teen's name. It wasn't until the third time that the boy responded to "Harry." To his disappointment Harry looked away from him and to the other man.

The vampire turned to Jasper, who had just arrived, missing what Harry had told his group of people. "What is it, Jazz?"

Jasper nodded toward the rest of the family. "Carlisle just wanted to know if you already had your things." He followed his brother's gaze and frowned. "Edward, what's wrong? You seem off. I'm getting a weird emotion from you."

Edward shook his head just as the word "vampire" reached his ears. His and Jasper's heads snapped up at the word and they both turned to look at the group of British. It had been the blond girl who had spoken the word.

But it was the blond boy who asked the next one.

"What are vampires doing here in a crowded place?"

He watched as the tallest of the group shrugged at the question. He pulled at the blonde's sleeve and made him follow him before speaking up. "I don't know, but I think it's a good idea if we don't stay put and just head to the house for the time being. If they are after Harry or any one of us, we will know soon enough."

Edward turned to his brother.

The veteran wore a frown on his face as he watched all of them leave. "It would seem that they know what we are."

Well, of course. Edward didn't have to be a mind reader to know that. "Could you feel their emotions?"

Jasper looked confused at his brother's question. "Yes. The brunette was feeling something close to anticipation. The girl was fascinated. I don't know about what but it was a strong emotion. It's as if she wants to study us further. The others felt fright. Strong. Stronger than most times. From what they said, they have probably encountered vampires before us."

Running a hand through his hair, Edward turned to the rest of the family. Why would they be so frightened of them? They were humans. They probably didn't even really know what vampires were capable of. Going by what Jasper had just said, if they _had_ encountered another of their race, it hadn't been a happy experience.

"War. Fighting"

Edward was momentarily confused by the two single words. "What war?"

"No, that's the other emotion coming strong off of them. All of them. It was the feeling of war. The emotion you feel when you have been through a long fight, whether it is between two people or a nation. It's what you feel. You're emotions are never really the same after that. They become raw, sort of amplified. You are able to feel the suffering above all else. They were all feeling like that. Their emotions were so raw. I would have to guess they just left all the fighting behind. Recently. If not in the last several months."

Carlisle frowned at them. "You're talking about the British kids?"

Jasper and Edward both nodded.

"We heard what they were talking about." Esme wrapped her hands around her stomach in a very human gesture. She leaned into her husband and Carlisle indulged her by wrapping his arms around her waist.

"Let us just hope they are only here for a short time. I wouldn't want to come to Seattle and find them on the street," Carlisle whispered quietly.

They all nodded and followed their parental figures out of the airport, hoping that what Carlisle had said was indeed true and they were only in Seattle for a short while. They didn't know how much destruction a group of learned British people could do to them.

Edward was still feeling uneasy when he got into his Volvo. It wasn't until he was heading to Forks and he switched on the radio that he remembered where he had seen Harry. At first he couldn't believe he had forgotten something like it, but he guessed it was because he had been in a hurry to get to Bella. Now that he thought about it, it _was_ obvious. So obvious in fact, that he wanted to kick himself for forgetting.

Harry had been plastered all over stores and on TV screens.

He was the artist of the new hit album.

He was The Harry Potter.

The vampire smiled, satisfied that he had managed to find the solution to his feeling of uneasiness.

* * *

**A/N: **Please note that Edward didn't fall madly in love with Harry when he first saw him. This will be explained later on.

*I know that in most stories Wizards can easily kill a vampire, but it seems overused and I didn't want to put it in here. Especially since a vampire is already dead and not much can happen to dead people.

So I can't really send a reply to the reviews I got and I do want to answer them so I will say thanks and answer them at the same time.

**MistyFire**: I haven't really decided what to do with Luna, Draco, and Neville after they get to America. Maybe they will return to the Wizaring world. I also thank you for your advice. Oh, and I don't much care for those types of Harrys.

**mumimeanjudy**: No there wasn't any Harry/Draco going on before. Only the Harry/Neville. I was actually going to make it Harry/Draco but went with Neville instead.

**njferrell**: Thanks, and yes, this is Harry/Edward.

**cagna**: Thanks. I just wanted to put Luna in here with her radish earrings.

**HufflePuff96**: I can't stand those Nevilles either. And I thought that if Neville could kill a giant snake and fight for what he believed than he couldn't be that way in my story. Thank you for the review.

With the exception of **mumimeanjudy**, who is on a diet, cookies for everyone who reviewed.


	4. New Family

**Disclaimer: I do not own any Harry Potter or Twilight related things.**

This chapter kind of changes the mood slightly, or a lot. It's supposed to introduce a new concept.

**Summary:** They are at their new home and Blake surprises them with something they had never considered.

* * *

**Chapter IV: New Family**

"You have got to be kidding me. What the hell were you thinking when you bought it?" Harry glared at Blake, who was laughing uncontrollably against the black Ferrari 430 Scuderia. "Why the hell did you get such a fucking house? It's huge. Were you even thinking when you bought it?" Agitated, the brunette ran a hand through his already messy hair. "This is _not_ funny," he said when the man laughed harder.

A sleek black IMSA Lamborghini Murcielago GTR pulled up to the house and Harry immediately turned to face his friends, who had gotten lost thanks to Draco. He smiled as Neville got out of the driver side and Luna from the front passenger seat. Draco followed from the back. He was mumbling something about never riding with Neville again.

Frowning, Harry turned back to his manager. "You enlarged the car from the inside?"

Shrugging, Blake nodded and placed his hand in his pocket as soon as he saw Draco. "I thought we could use the room. You know, in case we needed to put something in there that didn't fit in the trunk."

"If I were you, Malfoy, I wouldn't be saying anything. You were the one who got us lost in the first place," Neville growled.

"It's a good thing you aren't me. And _how_ was I supposed to know the way you read that BPS thing?"

Neville frowned and pulled off his dark sunglasses. "It's a 'GPS' not a BPS. And you said you could read it. I asked. Remember?"

Draco huffed. "I said I could. I never said I _could._"

"Well, then next time you should make yourself clear."

Luna giggled at the argument. "They've been at it for the last ten minutes."

Harry nodded and grinned. Something told him that Draco and Neville were going to end up as more than just good friends. The way they argued over everything made them seem closer already. It was a cute sight, now that Harry thought about it. Both of them deserved to be happy after everything that had happened. They deserved each other.

Neville's mouth dropped. He had finally turned to look at the house. "Harry, I think you over did yourself this time."

Groaning, Harry went back to looking at the house; his house. "It wasn't me. Fucking Blake bought it. What the hell were you thinking?" Harry repeated, directing the last part of his question at his manager, who didn't even have the decency to look a little ashamed of himself. That fact alone irritated the hell out of Harry.

The man shrugged. "Like I said. You weren't paying attention to me when I was talking to you.

"Merlin, Potter. I thought we didn't want to attract attention to ourselves. The house practically screams famous. It's like you handed an invitation out to everyone around." Draco made his voice high pitched trying to imitate Harry's. "'Look at me. I'm a rockstar trying to escape the spotlight for a few weeks. Would you like to join me for some tea?' Really, Potter. Subtlety isn't your forte, is it?"

Harry took a menacing step toward Draco, growling low. "First of all, I _didn't_ buy the stupid house. If you want someone to blame, point the finger at that stupid person over there." He motioned toward Blake and then flicked him off when the man rolled his eyes at him. "Second of all, I don't like tea. I have never been able to stand it." He shuddered, thinking about Trelawney and all the nasty predictions she had made about his death using tea leaves. He hadn't had anything against tea until that time. "Lastly, my voice doesn't sound like that. You're the one who sounds like you haven't hit puberty yet."

Draco glared and Blake took that opportunity to clear his throat to get everyone's attention.

"Just go find your rooms."

Blake sighed dramatically, his hand over his heart as if he were in pain. "If you would have told me, I would have had the rooms furnished accordingly." He followed the others inside, giving directions to the kitchen, living room, and other things.

Harry stayed behind. He grabbed his laptop from the passenger seat of the Ferrari and slung the strap over his shoulder in a familiar gesture. Looking back at the house, he had to admit, it was beautiful to look at. A three floor, pristine white, house that extended to all sides with a six car garage. The circular driveway reached all the way up to the steps that led up into the house. Marble pillars held the roof over the spacious porch. He ran his hand over the mahogany wood that made up the large double doors.

It was much more than he had ever hoped of owning. He had dreamed of a modest car and a small house where he would spend the rest of his life. But this, this was something that hadn't really crossed his mind. It was beautiful and at the same time it seemed to be his style. Complicated and intricate. Like his very life.

It wasn't until then that he wondered just how much the house most have cost. It must have been a small fortune, if not more. It didn't really mean anything. Harry had inherited all his parents' money and then some. The Ministry had thought it appropriate that he get compensated for his work in destroying the Dark Lord. Despite wanting to refuse it, he hadn't been able to do so. They wouldn't take no for an answer, depositing the money directly to his vaults so he wouldn't be able to do anything about it.

They had given back all of Sirius's money, as well as the Noble House of Black. Harry hadn't had the heart to sell the house. So he had left it how it was and had rented a flat outside of Muggle London. But the fortune.....he had kept that. At first, he had transferred the money into the Potter vault, leaving the original empty.

Of course, that had been before the Ministry also decided he was too much of a threat to leave with so much money.

By then, Harry had already transferred most of his money into Muggle bank accounts all over the world and under different alias. That way they wouldn't be able to do anything about it. All the ministry had gotten their hands on were a couple of galleons that Harry had left in the vault so that they wouldn't get suspicious. All the rest of the money had been exchanged into Muggle money and hidden. Let the Ministry think about looking outside of the country. They wouldn't be able to act on their hunches unless they got the permission of the other country's Ministry, which was highly unlikely.

His manager pulled on his arm, snapping him out of his musings. "Come on, Harry. I want to show you to your room. It's the only one I got ready." He pulled Harry after him and up a flight of stairs, then down a wide hallway to the last door. Throwing it open, he pushed Harry inside and closed the door without a single word.

The wall had been painted a soft shade of blue with a wood trim.

In the center of the room was a huge four-poster bed adorned in cream bed covers and what looked like hundreds of pillows. A desk had been set up against the wall. Bookcases took up one side of the room, separating only to include a fireplace in their midst.

It was a large room, with a walk-in closet and it's own bathroom.

Smiling, Harry took out his VAIO and plugged it in next to the desk. He placed it delicately on the surface and then turned to the rest of his room. He hadn't really thought Blake would decorate his room like it was, but he was glad the man had taken the time to do so. It wasn't everyday that his manager showed these acts of kindness toward him. Yes, they _did_ fool around and joke, acting like the best of friends. But there had been times when Blake would go unnaturally silent for a while. Harry wouldn't interrupt him when he was in one of those moments. He knew what they were about.

Harry would give him an order and Blake always came up with an excuse as to not do it. But he always did them in the end. He rarely took it upon himself to do something that wasn't an order, though.

Smiling to himself, Harry left the room and headed downstairs. He needed to make sure that everything was alright with the others in his entourage.

~O~

Draco groaned when a knock on his door brought him out of his thoughts. He didn't like it when someone interrupted him.

The door opened before he could even get up from his bed. Neville stepped inside and looked around with a look of astonishment.

"What, Longbottom? Did you lose something?"

Neville shrugged his broad shoulders and for a moment Draco wondered what it would feel like to run his hands over-

Draco stopped the thought before it got any further. He was so _not_ thinking about Longbottom in that way. There was no way, especially after Harry slept with him. He didn't even know if they still liked one another. It could be possible that they did.

A stab of jealousy went through Draco and it left him momentarily confused. Why was he feeling this way?

"No."

"Good." He resorted going back to his form of self-defense. Neville couldn't see that he liked him in that kind of way. It wasn't that he was afraid of what the ex-Gryffindor would say. No. He was afraid of rejection. Of finding out that Neville still liked Harry or that Harry still liked Neville. "Then do you mind explaining why the fuck you didn't wait until I opened the door for you? I could have been doing something important in here."

Neville's eyebrow rose.

Draco's heart skipped a beat at that one action. What the hell was wrong with him? He hadn't talked to him in months and now...... He had just really started seeing him as a friend. They hadn't _known_ each other for a week and he was already reacting to him this way. He was seriously fucked up. There was no other explanation for it.

"What important thing would you have been doing, Malfoy?"

Okay. Draco had to admit that he liked the way Neville said his last name. He also had to admit that the man had grown into himself. There was no trace of the scared, weak child he had been before. He was now strong in character, determined.....different. Yes, he was different. So different from the one Draco had known in school. This wasn't the same boy who had freaked out when he had thrown his remember......thingy. He couldn't remember what it was called. He was......

Draco smiled at that thought. It had been thanks to him that Harry had been picked for the position of Seeker on the Gryffindor Quidditch team.

"I see."

Draco blinked, then flushed when it sank in. He sputtered and sprung from the bed not angry but irritated that he had been caught unawares. "I would do no such thing. That is disgusting. A Malfoy would never sink so low."

Neville smirked. "Really? How do you know it's disgusting if you would never do it? Admit it Draco. You like your hand."

Draco closed his eyes. Oh god, he had said his name. Yes, that there was reason enough to use his-

Stomping on that thought, Draco's eyes flew open and found a Neville laughing really hard. He looked like he was going to pass out, holding his stomach like it hurt just proved the fact that he was having too much fun at his expanse.

"Okay...." He took a deep breath. "That was too much information, Malfoy. I didn't really want to know just how close you were to your hand." He pressed his hand to his stomach and took another deep breath.

The blond grabbed one of the pillows off of his bed and threw it with all his force at Neville. Of course, it had some magic behind it. He wasn't a Malfoy if he didn't play dirty. He didn't want Neville to laugh at him because he had thrown a pillow that would probably not even mess up his hair.

Neville decided to move out of the way and it flew past him and hit Harry, who fell backwards into the hall and knocked over Luna, who was standing behind Harry. They both went down, Luna sprawled under Harry, who had managed to shift his weight slightly so that he wouldn't really hurt her. His reflexes from fighting Voldermort all those years kicking in.

Draco and Neville hurried over to the pair on the floor.

Harry rolled off of Luna and onto the floor where he grunted in what seemed like pain. His eyes were closed tightly as he tried to take a deep breath.

"Are you okay, Harry?"

The brunette could hear the concern in his friend's voice but he didn't really care. What the hell had Draco been thinking? He had spelled the pillow so it would hurt and travel faster than it was supposed to.

Cursing, Luna sat up and rubbed the back of her head with her palm. Neville was surprised with her language. For once, she didn't look like she was spaced out. She looked quite sane, now that he thought about it. She wasn't wearing those ridiculous earrings that she seemed to like so much. Her clothes were toned down to normal, with a pair of blue jeans and a white t-shirt. It seemed that her father's rejection had done more harm to her than they had all thought. This wasn't the Luna they were used to having around.

Draco reached out toward Harry. "Harry, are you okay?"

Harry slung an arm over his eyes and he winced in pain before growling at his friend. "Don't touch me, Malfoy."

Draco could hear the way Harry was talking and for a moment he thought his friend was faking the pain. _It couldn't have hurt that much, could it?_ He hadn't meant to hurt anyone. _It was just.....stupid Longbottom._ He had been teasing him and he had wanted him to stop it before he could embarrass himself further. Was it really that-

Before Draco could even finish that thought, the pillow flew at him and knocked him backwards onto the floor.

He groaned and sat up slowly only to find Luna slowly stashing away her wand. "Bloody hell, Lovegood."

"How did you like being the one hit with a thirty pound pillow?"

He looked over at Harry, who was sitting up slowly with the help of Neville. The boy lifted up his shirt and looked down at the spot where the object had hit him. The place was red, but they all knew it would be bruised in a few hours.

Harry muttered something that sounded a lot like "great", but when he looked at Draco, there was nothing but laughter in his eyes. "What exactly did Neville tell you?

Draco made a face and threw up his hands in frustration. He made a noise of exasperation and helped Harry stand up. "Nothing. He was being perverted."

A look of shock passed over Harry's face. He gave Neville a weird look that Neville returned. They seem to be speaking without any words and it irritated the hell out of Malfoy. What were they saying to each other that they didn't want him to know?

Laughing, Harry stepped away from Draco and put up his hands in surrender. Then he looked down at his hand and gasped.

The blond watched as his friend made a face and wiped his hand on his shirt. It dawned on him that Neville had been telling him about the-

"Potter, what the fuck are you doing? I would never do such a disgusting thing."

Harry snickered and turned in the direction of the staircase. "Right, Dray. I'm sure you wouldn't. Now come on. Blake has some things to go over with us before he 'sets us lose on the Muggle world'."

~O~

Blake drummed his fingers on the countertop. He had sent Harry to look for the others almost fifteen minutes ago. He knew the house was big, but it wasn't so big that it would take him so long to get the others down to the kitchen.

Granted, it wasn't really all that important, what he had to tell them. But he knew that as their "guardian" he needed to let them know so there wouldn't be any confusion. The story would have to be one specific one so as to not mess it all up. At first he had been hard to persuade to take the job, not even the offer of higher pay had really had an influence on his decision. Though he couldn't care less about the pay. He got to be around Harry for the sole reason that they were friends.

The mere fact that Harry had wanted to escape into the Muggle world had kind of freaked him out slightly. It wasn't that he didn't like Muggles, because now that he had gotten to know them better, he had learned to appreciate them. Harry had taught him all that and more. He was the reason he was still alive. He was the reason he was even standing in the kitchen of a giant house. Harry had rescued him from self-destruction and he would never be able to repay the boy for it.

The object of his thoughts chose that moment to walk in with his entourage following closed behind. They sat down around the counter in chairs they summoned and waited for him to begin.

That baffled him.

They were willing to talk to a man who had once belonged to the society that had caused the most destruction. A society that had probably killed all their relatives. Why were they so trusting of people? Wasn't that what had hurt Harry to begin with.

First Dumbledore, who had basically just used Harry.

Then all of Harry's friends, who had decided that now that the war was over they didn't need to pretend friendship any longer. That there had sicken him. How could people you cared about and who seemed to care about you just up and desert you like there had never been anything? What he had done with Voldemort had been quite different. He had figured out that he couldn't go on serving a man who wanted the eventual destruction of all humanity.

He turned his thoughts back to the others. They were willing to live with an ex-Deatheater.

Unconsciously, Blake rubbed at the arm where his Dark Mark was.

Harry caught the gesture and immediately knew that Blake was having one of his moments where he didn't think he was good enough to be around other people. Where he would much rather be alone and deserted like he had been when Harry had found him. He didn't deem himself worthy of anything. It wasn't unlike him to have those thoughts, but Harry wanted to believe that they came less often now that he had someone to look after.

He glanced at the other three and noticed that they were whispering amongst each other. He didn't know whether they had seen what Blake was doing, but it would humiliate his manager if they did.

"Blake, love. Can you tell us what you wanted to tell us?"

Blake looked down at the hand on his forearm and nodded once before looking at the others.

"Okay......" He took a deep breath before continuing. "Harry told me he wanted to seem as Muggle as possible and I came to the conclusion that you wanted the same thing or you wouldn't have followed him here. I mean, you wouldn't follow Harry unless you were completely nuts or desperate." He added the last part quietly thinking that no one would hear him. "So I decided to enroll you all in a Muggle high school. Harry agreed with the idea, but that was only him and even though he _is_ the only one enrolled at the moment I won't have a hard time enrolling you all as well. And so it won't seem odd that he is going to school and you lot aren't, that's where I will be going this afternoon. The school year is almost over so you won't have to deal with it but for almost a month."

Harry grinned.

Draco scoffed. "I thought this was a sort of vacation, Potter. Why would I want to go to a Muggle school?"

Despite the fact that the question was directed at Harry, it was Blake who answered. "Harry wants to get away from the whole press thing. If he were to suddenly show up at a town and not integrate himself into the society it would seem odd. People would start to investigate and sooner or later, they would find out just who Harry was."

"But won't it seem odd? With the exception of Luna, we are all eighteen, almost nineteen. We will be older than the people in our grade." Neville watched as Harry's grin slipped. It seemed he hadn't thought about that.

Grinning, Blake waved his hand. Exposing the Dark Mark, but he didn't notice. He seemed to enjoy the fact that Harry hadn't thought about everything.

"The solution for that is pretty simple. You may have noticed that out of all of you, Harry is the shortest." He heard a snort from Malfoy but didn't bother looking his way. "Harry and Luna will pass off as juniors only because they seem the youngest out of you lot and will get away with it without any problems. Longbottom, Malfoy, no offense, but there is no way in hell you two can pass off as juniors. The two of you will be seniors. I just made the fake transcripts and papers necessary to enroll you." The grin he gave them made a shudder run through Harry. "Congratulations, you are now Harry, Draco, Neville, and Luna Evans." He handed each a folded set of papers that appeared a few years old.

Each one of them now had a set of adoption papers that stated quite clearly that Blake was their father.

But that wasn't the only occurrence.

They had never thought Blake would unofficially officially adopt them. They had thought that they could just go by their real names, no harm done to anyone. The less lies the better. They had all heard his last name at the airport but they hadn't really thought much of it. Evans was a somewhat common name in the Wizarding world. The very fact that he carried the same last name as Harry's mother hadn't bothered them. But now.......To everyone in the Muggle world, Harry would be known as Harry Evans.

They watched as Harry paled at the name. He seemed to be trying to come to terms with it, but Rome wasn't built in a day.

It was like stripping Harry of his father and saying he didn't have one.

~O~

Harry Evans. Not Harry Potter.

He looked at them. There were unshed tears in his eyes, but it wasn't because of the name. Looking at all his friends, he only saw the Evans family. His family. They all carried the name of the woman who had single-handedly taken down Voldemort. Because, despite everything, if it hadn't been for Lily Evans, the whole Wizarding world would have been destroyed. She had given her life for her child, making him the one capable enough to destroy the Dark Lord. It was she whom the Wizarding world should revere and worship, not Harry Potter.

Lily Evans.

Without a single word, Harry grabbed his set of papers, keys, and left. Leaving a totally baffled family behind.

* * *

**A/N:** Thank you all for reading. I think I love you guys. "Starting Over" has 17 Reviews, 39 favs, and 61 alerts.

I want to especially thank **Lientjuhh**, **fifespice** (3x over for reviewing each chapter), **sanityisgone**, **cookyc**, **njferrell**, **HufflePuff96**, **Mrs. Edward Cullen Potter**, and **beauty0102** (3x over for reviewing each chapter). Cookies for you all.

I think I answered all of you. If I didn't answer someone. I'm sorry. It was my computer's fault.


	5. Betrayal

**Disclaimer: I do not own anything Harry Potter or Twilight related.**

**Summary:** Harry thinks back on that day when his two best friends turned their backs on him.

Again, the chapter changes the mood of the story with a somewhat suicidal Harry.

* * *

**Chapter V: Betrayal**

Edward glided through the hospital hallways. He knew his destination. He had been there numerous times before. One of them had been when Bella had almost been killed by that van. He didn't want to remember that day. It had been the day that she had started to figure out everything about him; about his family. If he hadn't saved her that fateful day, she would never have come so close to the family. She would never have been attacked by James. But he would have always had the guilt of letting her die in order to keep their family secret.

He knocked on the door and heard his sire tell him to enter. He didn't need any more encouragement. He needed to talk to Carlisle, _had_ needed to for a while. They hadn't really talked since their arrival in Forks that morning.

"Carlisle, are you busy?"

The older vampire lifted his head from a folder on the table and smiled softly at his youngest and oldest son. "Is there something you need to talk about, Edward?"

Edward sighed and sat down. He could sense his father's eyes on him and he had to sigh once more, not out of need but out of habit. He didn't know how Carlisle could always tell when he needed to talk. For one who couldn't read minds he had an uncanny ability to tell when he needed to get something off his chest.

"Carlisle, do you remember the British tourists we saw at the airport?" He didn't know why he was asking such a stupid question. Of course Carlisle would remember. Vampires couldn't easily forget about something they saw or did, especially when it had an impact on their lives. Their minds captured everything. The only things they couldn't really remember were the memories from when they had been humans. They blurred and faded with time, not having been seen through eyes that could catch every fine detail.

Inclining his head, Carlisle hid a grin from his son, who was too preoccupied with what was on his mind to notice it. He had seen that Edward had taken an immediate interest in the British people who had figured out their identities so quickly. He just hoped that Edward wouldn't get hurt again. The last time this had happened, the person he had trusted had gotten hurt and almost died because of them. Maybe, if he found someone else he could trust and who couldn't get so easily hurt, he could move on and finally be happy. It saddened him that his oldest son hadn't found anyone yet. Yes, he had thought he had but that hadn't really worked out for the both of them. However, it didn't necessarily mean that this British person was the one who would pull his son out of the abyss.

"I know who the brunette, Harry, was."

Carlisle grinned. "I presume he was Harry."

If Edward could blush, he would have been doing so at that moment. "No, Carlisle. He's isn't just Harry. He's Harry Potter. He's the one everyone has been talking about. The one who had his poster up at every music store and alleyway. He is the famous rockstar."

Frowning, Carlisle went through his memories and sorted through them immediately. He _did_ remember seeing a poster of a person everywhere.

What had they called him?

_The Hugh Breakthrough._

But what would Harry Potter be doing in Seattle? Unless he had a show somewhere close to the city, if not in the city itself. _Why would he know about vampires if he was a normal human artist? Was it possible that he was much more than that?_

"I don't know Carlisle. It unnerves me that a famous person knows about us."

"Let's just hope that he stays in the city and doesn't decided to come after us."

Edward nodded stiffly. "I couldn't get a read on them. I tried several times to hear what they were thinking but it was like they had this barrier around their minds that kept me out. Bella had been the only one to keep me out and, even then, her mind just felt like there was nothing there. Like there was a hole. But now five more show up and I can feel with my mind their thoughts, I just can't get to them. Like I said, it's like a barrier prevents me from getting to them."

The doctor's head snapped up. "All of them? You couldn't hear any of them?"

Edward pursed his lips and ran a hand through his hair. It was a human gesture he had picked up around the other teenagers. "The girl would slip up every now and then, but her thoughts were jumbled. From what I could get, she mostly thought about a "man back home" with the random hospital word. But otherwise they were silent. Something about St. Mungo's. Whatever that may mean."

Carlisle stood up and grabbed the x-ray he had been analyzing before Edward had walked in. _Had Edward tried entering their thoughts?_ It could just be that they needed a little push in the right direction.

"I tried. Once."

"What happened?"

"Harry noticed and looked around the airport. It was then that he saw me. It was because of _that_ little push I gave that we were found out." He winced at the thought. He had wanted to breach the brunette's shield so he could take a look at what was inside. If he hadn't been so interested, they wouldn't have what looked to be a huge problem. If he hadn't wanted to find out if Harry had been the boss of the group they would be oblivious to the existence of vampires close to Seattle.

What was going to happen to them now?

They would just have to wait and see if they acted on the knowledge they had gathered. Maybe the humans wouldn't do anything about it. Maybe their past experience with vampires would keep them away from them.

Edward just hoped that would be the case.

~O~

Harry hated the Ferrari. It just wasn't his style anymore than the Lamborghini had been. It was as simple as that, yet so much more complicated.

The drive wasn't as satisfactory as he had hoped. But then, things never turned out like he hoped.

But he floored it never-the-less.

He had always been able to escape his thoughts with a good and fast ride. It had been his Firebolt at some point and then a car he had purchased in London. Both of the vehicles had been able to help him escape. He didn't care if he had been breaking the speed limit three times over with the car. He had just wanted to escape. Wanted to feel the adrenaline rushing through him, like the most potent of drugs.

Much like today.

Too much had gone on and it wasn't even twenty-four hours since they had arrived in America. How was he supposed to escape the Wizarding world if he kept coming back to it? It was like a never ending cycle. Wanting him to stay put so he could get betrayed once more.

Ironic how life could go.

Oh yeah. Life was a bitch. But then you died.

_Is that what everyone is looking forward to? Did everyone live with the thought of dying one day? Of just closing your eyes while your body stopped responding to what your mind was trying to tell it? Did everyone just want to stop existing?_

Harry sighed. He had to agree that there were times when even he couldn't seem to make it through; to rise above it. He would just think about how easy it would be to just close his eyes and never wake up. To just give up fighting for something that would end eventually anyway.

If he had to die, he wanted to die sleeping.

Yes, sleeping was the best way to die. It was awful to hear those around you crying for a person they loved and cared about. It was awful to watch them watch you dying. He didn't want to hear them when he died. He didn't want to see them. He wanted to die in his sleep. It would be absolutely peaceful. Peace was something he hadn't had in a long time.

Taking the approaching curve, Harry narrowly missed the incoming car.

_Harry Evans._

He tasted the words and tried to make some sense of what he felt every time he heard the name. What he would have to feel every time anyone said _his_ name.

Blake had stripped him of his last name. Stripped him of one of the only things he had kept from his father. He had lost his identity and gained another one, but could he really be Harry Evans, the Muggle high school student?

He could think of his new name as a tribute to his mother. But it still left a place inside of him feeling empty. It was as if he had lost someone else. The feeling wasn't a good one. He had already lost so many people who had been very important to him. Adding another one to that list, especially when it was him, made him feel lost and confused, without a place in the world.

Vividly, he remembered the day he had heard Hermione telling Ron what she had heard from the Ministry. How she had said it exactly the right way so Ron could refuse to even be in the same room as he had. Harry had tried to make his friends understand the wrongness of the situation, but in the end it had been futile. Hermione had brainwashed them all into thinking that he would be someone he could never be.

_"Hermione, what is it? You're here really early today."_

_She shrugged and fussed over the wand in her hand. "I wanted to talk to Ron. Is he in right now? I _could_ come back if you want me to." Harry found it odd that she wouldn't even look him in the eyes when she talked. What was wrong with her?_

_After the war, Harry and Ron had moved in together, while Hermione had moved back in with her parents. She still visited Ron everyday but it was usually after she was off work or when she was on break, which usually wasn't until lunch. She had gotten a position in the Ministry after it had been proven that she had helped the Boy Who Lived in the war. That she had been one of the two who had accompanied him in all his journey. She hadn't even had to make up her seventh year. Her friendship with the Savior of the Wizarding world had ensured her future in the highest part of the Ministry._

_Today though, she was standing in the doorway and it wasn't even ten in the morning. What had happened and why did she ask for Ron in particular? They were together, yes, but in the weeks that Ron and Harry had been living together, she hadn't really minded if he was there in the flat. She would say hi, talk to her boyfriend or eat lunch, and then leave._

_"Um.....sure. Come in. I'll go get him from his room. Do you want anything?"_

_Again, she didn't lift up her gaze. Instead, she busied herself with putting away her wand where she could reach it easily. He wondered if it was the years of war that kept her ready to pull out her wand, or if she was expecting a threat in his flat. It was probable that they could be attacked, especially since there were still Deatheaters on the run from the Ministry._

_Shrugging it off, Harry went to the hallway and knocked on his best mate's door. "Hey, Ron. Herm wants to talk to you."_

_The door opened and a disheveled head appeared. "Bloody hell, mate. It's not even ten."_

_Harry smiled sheepishly and pushed the door opened further before motioning to the living room. "Herm doesn't really care about the time, mate. You know that. Get dressed. She's waiting in the living room." He saw the look Ron gave him and laughed. "Don't worry, Ron. I'll make myself scarce. I'll hide in my room until she leaves." _

_Nodding, Ron gave him a small smile of thanks and closed the door, intent on getting dressed quickly so he could see his girlfriend._

_True to his word, Harry went to hide in his room. It didn't take him long to get bored in the enclosed space. He wasn't one to sit idly while he could be doing something else. And that was exactly what he wanted to do. He wanted to do something that would keep him busy. _

_He tried Potions and Charms, but they grew boring after a while. There was only so much he could do without endangering himself in the process. He was just thinking about something else to do when he heard the yelling from the living room. It didn't really surprise him. Ron and Hermione fought every now and then but it was almost always better before she left the flat. What did surprise him was his name being screamed at Hermione._

_"Understand, Ron! That is what the Minister said!"_

_"No! Hermione, what has Harry ever done to us! You have it all wrong! Bloody hell, the Ministry just doesn't want to have someone so powerful walking around! They're mad because Harry won't work with them! Why would you believe those things?!"_

_Opening the door quietly, Harry made his way to the living room, making sure to stay in the shadows just inside the hallway so his friends wouldn't see him. He wanted to know what the Minister had been saying about him. He just couldn't understand how they could keep on talking about him when he had destroyed their Dark Lord. It was time they left him alone to do what he wanted. He didn't want to join the Ministry. He didn't want to see any more deaths. He didn't want to spend all his time catching Deatheaters or killing them. That wasn't his job. Let the ones who trained for it catch them. All he had trained for was taking the Dark Lord down and he had done his job._

_Ron seemed agitated. His face was that shade of red no one else could rival. As flaming as his hair._

_"Why is it so hard to understand? Harry trained under Dumbledore. He spent as much time with him as he did with us. He was distraught when Dumbledore died. Don't you think that is a little weird? I didn't think much of it at first, but things have changed. The piece of Voldemort's soul that was lodged in him could have had an adverse side effect."_

_Leave it to Hermione to make him sound like a bloody lab rat._

_"I refuse to believe what you say."_

_"Oh, Ronald. Think about it. For some time, the Ministry was sure Dumbledore was trying to overtake them. There were rumors that he may have wanted to run for Minister. He was one of the most influential wizards of all time. He had more power than anyone else with the exception of the Minister and You-Know-Who. Harry spent time with him. The ideas could have rubbed off during that time." She grabbed a rolled up piece of parchment and handed it to her boyfriend. "Those are all the spells Harry used during his time as a Wizard up until now. He performed one of the Unforgivables when we were in fifth year. During the war, he used others. I think he used all the Unforgivables before the war even ended."_

_When Ron spoke next, his voice sounded small; frightened. Harry could see that he was starting to believe her. "How can this be true? Harry has always been our friend."_

_Anger overrode Harry. He didn't want to hear what they were talking about. Had wished he had never left his room, let them talk amongst themselves. But he couldn't change what he had done. It wouldn't be the same. He knew now that they were willing to believe some Ministry worker over him. Over all the time they had spent together._

_"Ron, we weren't _really_ his friends, or at least_ I_ wasn't really his friend. There are things that one can see when they meet a person. Since the beginning, I saw the power he held. I heard the stories and I knew that this was going to happen. Power, like the one Harry has, can't be contained for long. It takes over the wizard. It's what happened to Voldemort." She winced slightly at the Dark Lord's name. They still hadn't gotten used to speaking it so openly._

_Nodding, Ron glanced at the papers in his hand. "I believe you. Harry used Unforgivables. He didn't seem to care about the casualties in my family. I mean, he hasn't even gone to visit mum since the war ended."_

_"They weren't Unforgivables at that time." If he wasn't so angry at them for believing who knew who, he would have thought their reaction funny. They jumped about a foot in the air before turning to look at him through half-lidded eyes. There was a defensiveness around them that he hadn't seen since the Battle of Hogwarts. "Remember?"_

_Ron sputtered. "That gave you no right."_

_Harry waved the statement away. "Funny, how you remember all my faults, but you can't see any of yours. The youngest male of the family, you envied your brothers everything they had. Bill and Charley had a good job and had more than you could hope for. Fred and George were well liked where ever they were. They made a living of what they liked. They stood up for what they believed. Ginny was the only girl of the family, so she was automatically the most spoiled. The one everyone looked after. Percy, well Percy was the most ambitious one. He got what he wanted. You......you just were." It hurt Harry to say the words so harshly. He honestly thought the world of Ron. The red-head had been his friend since they had first met on the train. They had shared so many experiences together. How could one forget those kinds of things so easily?_

_"Just so you know, I have no intention of overthrowing the Ministry. I don't want to be the next Dark Lord. You, above everyone else, know that I hate the whole Boy Who Lived crap. Bloody hell, I can't stand being someone they adore. I was against Voldemort since the beginning, why would I suddenly want to be like him?"_

_Hermione snorted. Her wand was suddenly in her hand and pointed directly at his heart. "Harry, do you think we will believe that? Dumbledore trained you. He did his best to make you as powerful as he could. You led us through death and destruction. Ron's brother is dead because of you. Colin, Remus, Tonks, Moody. They are all dead because of you."_

_Harry's blood ran cold as he heard her. No one had blamed him for any of the casualties of the War. Deep down he had always thought it was his fault, but no one had voiced it until now. He knew they were right about all of it._

_He could see Ron nodding from Hermione's side. It broke Harry's heart to see his best mate agreeing with something as preposterous as him becoming the next Dark Lord. If they thought that then they had never really known him. They had never really bothered to know him at all. The last thing Harry wanted was to become a power hungry individual who led thousands of wizards to their deaths. Ironic how now that the War was over people would think of him as the individual who would take them to their next War. But then, it wouldn't be much of a war._

_With all the people who loved and adored him, Harry knew there would be hundreds who would follow him if he decided to go Dark._

_"Enough," Ron whispered. "Potter, I suggest you go with Hermione to the Ministry."_

_Harry snorted. As if he would give himself up just because they thought he needed to. "Look, Ron. I don't know why you suddenly think everything the Ministry says is true, but there are things that you will come to regret, mate. Thinking I will be one of the elite Dark forces is one of them. There will come a time when you will need me and I won't be there. When that time comes, think back to this place and time and remember everything you did. Everything that crossed your mind. Everything _she_," he motioned to Hermione, "told you about me. Then it will dawn on you how much lies they fed you. And just like me, you will come to hate them all."_

_With a spell already leaving her lips, Hermione made a motion with her wand, but Harry was too quick for her. He disabled the wards on the flat and apparated to the only place that would come to his mind._

Harry eased his foot off the pedal and pulled over to the side of the road. He slammed his hand into the steering wheel and let his head fall back against the seat, ignoring the pain lacing through his hand. He couldn't take it anymore. He hadn't risen above it all. He was still trapped where he had been to begin with. He hadn't moved. Chained to his past like he had always been.

Now that he looked back at his memories, he saw that he had been losing himself little by little. A small piece of him every year that drew closer to the climax of his life. The change of his last name had just been another portion. There was so little of the old Harry left and he was terrified he would never be able to resurrect him. How had things gotten so out of hand? He should have let Hermione take him in that day. It would have ended months of suffering. Months of contemplating. Months of happiness. Because he _had_ been happy with Neville and then with his music.

After he had disapparated from the flat he and Ron had shared, he had appeared at Neville's. Neville had helped him through the following weeks and Harry had developed a crush on the person who had helped him. They had started a relationship and it had been Neville playing the Violin that had struck up Harry's love for music. He had bought himself a guitar and had taken to learning it. But it wasn't until he had gathered the courage to leave his boyfriend that he had let his talent flourish.

He became famous in a matter of weeks. People had been ecstatic when they heard his music. But it wasn't only for the chords and rhythms. Harry infused his music with some of his magic, letting it escape safely into the air when he played. It was the reason why people would rather listen to him live than listen to something prerecorded.

Reaching out with his right hand, Harry tuned to a radio station and smiled when he heard a song from the first album he had recorded. "Over Now" had been one of the first songs he had recorded with his fellow musicians. The song hadn't really been much of a hit but it had slowly caught on as he grew into his music. People started to catch on that the very music held part of his past experiences. Though, none of them had been inopportune enough to ask him about it. And even though it hadn't really captured much of his emotions from the time, the fact that Ron had been able to practically tell him that it was over was enough for him.

_You know it's been on my mind  
Could you stand right there  
Look me straight in the eye and say  
That it's over now_

_We pay our debt sometime_

_Well it's over now, yet I can see somehow  
When it's all gone wrong, it's hard to be so strong_

It _was_ hard to be strong. So hard sometimes, that he didn't know if he could keep up the pretension. It was too much to bare. Too much shit to go through everyday to pretend to be strong. It was because of that façade that he didn't dare cry at that moment. The tears would come when he had no other choice but to let them fall. Otherwise, they would stay where they had been the whole time. It was easier that way. Less of a hassle.

_You know it's been on my mind  
Could you stand right there  
Look me straight in the eye and say  
That it's over now_

_We pay our debt sometime  
Yeah, we pay our debt sometime  
We pay our debt sometime  
Yeah, we pay our debt sometime_

_Guess it's over now, I seem alive somehow  
When it's out of sight, just wait and do your time_

Harry _had_ paid his debt and he still felt like he was paying it. Now, more than ever. He just hoped he would stop paying it before he completely lost himself to it.

Sighing, Harry turned the car around and headed back to the house. He didn't want to worry Blake more than he probably was. It wouldn't do, despite the fact that Harry didn't want to talk to him. His manager was his friend and he would keep being his friend despite everything that had happened today. He couldn't lose anymore friends and family memebers. They were everything he had now.

* * *

**A/N:** Well, there is Chapter V. I actually didn't think I would be able to finish the chapter this morning before I went to bed. I hope it doesn't sound rushed, but I wanted to put in a scene regarding Harry's ex-friends' betrayal. I'm sorry about not letting Harry meet one of the Cullens yet. Maybe in the next chapter.

I don't know when I will be able to update, but I will try to update this afternoon.

The song is "Over Now" by Alice in Chains.

Thank yous to the following people for reviewing: **sanityisgone, HufflePuff96, animaluvr123, Lientjuhh,Mrs. Edward Cullen Potter, njferrell, 917brat, TMRHP11, Elfin69, beauty0102**

I am eternally grateful. Brownies for you all.

Thank you for the alerts and favs. This story now has 27 reviews, 53 favs, and 84 alerts. Thank you all as well.


	6. The Volvo and The Ferrari

I am really sorry for not updating during the whole weekend. But I was spending the time with my friends at their house and didn't realized her computer had a USB port until Sunday night.

**Disclaimer: I do not own anything Harry Potter or Twilight related.**

**Summary:** Blake finally tells his story to none other than Draco Malfoy. Harry instigates an illegal race with unimaginable results.

* * *

**Chapter VI- The Volvo and The Ferrari**

Blake ran a hand through his hair and glanced at the Grandfather clock in one corner of the study. He knew Draco was looking at him weird, but he couldn't help worry over Harry. He had seen the way Harry had left. It wasn't usual behavior from the Boy Who Lived. He just hoped he wouldn't get in any trouble while he was away. It wouldn't do.

"You know, Harry will be back when he wants to come back."

Blake ignored the blond in pursuit of the papers in front of him. Well, not really. He just didn't want to talk to him. With the exception of Draco, all the others were in their rooms, trying to study what they could so they wouldn't be so out of the loop when they reported to school on Monday.

The man had hoped Harry would be back when he returned from enrolling the others in school, but that hadn't been the case. He had wanted to go out and look for him, but he didn't dare in case Harry didn't want them to find him. He knew he was just being paranoid. The boy would be back before the weekend was out. What worried him was that they didn't know the layout of the town. What if he got lost?

"He has a GPS."

Again, Blake ignored the blond.

Harry didn't know the address of the house, unless he asked someone to help him get back. But that wouldn't happen either, Harry didn't like talking to people he didn't know. One interview. He had given one interview in Britain, because of it. How was he supposed to get back? And who knew if the people of Forks knew Harry for whom he _really_ was. He hadn't bothered to check if they did. But then, the American people kept up with the music from other countries. Harry had given many concerts in America, though none close to Forks. It was possible that they _did_ know about him.

"He'll make his way back, eventually. You just have to given him time."

Finally, Blake looked at the teen sitting in front of him. The blond was leaning into the back of the chair. He was the epitome of suave and nonchalant. He didn't even show that he had been answering all of the internal questions Blake had.

"Is there a reason as to your presence?" He didn't mean to sound so harsh with him, but it was an automatic reaction to the Malfoys.

For many years, Draco had thought himself superior to all the other Deatheaters because he was in the Dark Lord's inner circle. He had treated everyone like shit. He had been arrogant and spoiled. It wasn't something one could forget, even after months of desertion.

Shrugging, Draco leaned forward and met Blake's gaze. He frowned when the man immediately lowered his eyes. "For the same reason you are. I care about Harry. He has been my one true friend since the War. He's like the brother I never wanted, but had anyway. We fought when we were younger. It got to the point where we hated each other. We were natural rivals. I was the son of the favorite Deatheater. He was the son of one of the Order of the Phoenix. He was in Gryffindor and I was in Slytherin. Total opposites. But Harry has this way of getting to the least expected people. Even the best fall. I know Harry wouldn't just up and leave us without coming back. He just needs a break from everything that has happened.

"You changed his life. You changed his name. He doesn't know how to react to that." He didn't know why he was telling this to the man, but it just felt right. The man really did care for Harry and Harry would want his friends to ease his mind. Draco wasn't one to disappoint his friends.

Blake sighed. He didn't know it would hit Harry so hard. He had just thought it would be better if they thought he was their father. Granted, he didn't look old enough to be the father of four eighteen-year-olds but he could easily say he had adopted when his old wife hadn't had been able to have any. I fact, Harry had been the only one who was registered as his real son. Though they didn't have similar features, they had the black hair and he could just say Harry had inherited his mother's side, which _was_ sort of true. If he would have known this was going to happen, he would have left his name alone. He would have come up with another solution. The problem had been that Harry hadn't really given him more time to think of one.

He made a noise of exasperation. _What was he supposed to do? _He felt incompetent.

"Just let him sort things out on his own."

"Why do you do that?" He saw the confused look on Draco's face and wished he hadn't said anything. But then, did Draco have some kind of mind reading ability? Was that why he was so in tune to thoughts? Or had he mastered Legilimens? It was the only explanation. But he hadn't felt Draco enter his mind.

He quickly checked the barrier around his mind and found it completely intact.

"I have no idea what you mean. I came here to tell you that Harry will come back when he wants to; when he feels safe to do so. Until then, there is no point in worrying over him. I know you have spent the last several months doing just that, but you have to learn when to stop."

That wasn't what Blake had meant. If Draco wanted to play Stupid with him, then by all means let him play Stupid. He wasn't going to tell him otherwise. The Blond was too good at it anyway. There was no denying the evidence.

"How did you meet Harry?"

Confused, Blake looked back at him and found Draco smiling. He didn't want to explain, but he guessed it was time someone knew what had happened to make him end up where he was at that moment. He was sure Malfoy would understand. He _had_ been a lost soul Harry had brought back to life as well.

"Let's just say Harry found _me_. After I left the Dark Lord, I didn't have anywhere to go. Voldemort murdered my wife and child because I left. I didn't want to expose them to any danger, especially after she gave birth to our first and only child, but leaving made it worse. I couldn't go back to them, though I did write to them daily, wanting to know how they were and what they were doing." A small tremble entered his voice and the light momentarily left his eyes. "I don't know if Voldemort's people intercepted the owls. But days passed and I didn't receive any written word so I went to see for myself. The house had been burnt to the ground with them in it. There were people trying to put out the fire before it could engulf the rest of the neighborhood but it was too late for Kelle and Jason. They were dead; had been dead before the fire had started.

"I was angry, mad, but most of all disgusted with myself. I was the one who had killed them." Draco watched as Blake got so immersed into his story. The horror from his thoughts was evident on his face and in his voice. There had been nothing he could have done for them after the fire, no matter what he told himself. "I was the one who killed them. I didn't lift the wand but I might as well have done so. If I hadn't joined the Dark Lord, they would never have died. But I was lured in with the imagined power he proclaim to want to give the purebloods. I wanted to get rid of the ones who tainted our race and readily joined him. I was thirteen, proud son of a Death Eater, following his footsteps. I was young and foolish at the time but that was no excuse. Slaughtering people just because they are different didn't make us better than them. It made us worse.

"After Kelle and Jason were killed, I went into hiding for a while. It was when I was in hiding that I heard Harry and the Order were getting ready to strike against the Dark Lord. Not so much in those words, but the idea was there. I was too much of a coward to help out. But I could feel the Dark Mark burn every time he summoned us. In order not to feel the constant pain, I submersed myself in alcohol." Draco sympathized with the ex-deatheater. The Mark had been painful when Voldemort had summoned them. "It was my only way out. The only way not to feel the pain, both emotionally and physically. The only way to forget that voice and those arms that used to welcome me home when I _did_ arrive. I knew I was on the wanted list of, both, the Ministry and the Deatheaters. If one didn't get me, the other would and neither fate particularly enticed me.

"I heard when Hogwarts was taken and when the war was won. I mourned for the people who had died trying to protect what they loved. I cried when I heard that families had been lost and others torn apart. It reminded me of those I had lost and I couldn't take it. I remember thinking that I should have also stood up for what I believed. That I should have fought those who killed my family. But I was already so immersed in my own self-destruction, that the thoughts were fleeting at best.

"It wasn't even a week since the end of the War when a rogue Deatheater found me. I didn't recognize him at first, but then, it _had _been a while since I had attended a meeting and even longer since I had interacted with Voldemort's inner circle. It was enough that he recognized me. There was so much alcohol in my blood, I didn't have time to react to the wand he pulled out. One moment, I'm sitting down and the next, I'm lying on my back while the whole place goes up in one big commotion. Through the alcohol induced haze, I remember seeing that man's face and then suddenly he was gone. In his place stood this one thin boy with messy black hair and green eyes who didn't even spare me a glance until after the Deatheater was taken into custody, because he didn't want to kill anymore."

Draco smiled at that.

Harry had told him he had helped capture some of the rogue Deatheaters, but he had _only_ captured and not killed. He hadn't wanted anymore deaths on his conscience, even if they had belonged to people who had killed and destroyed.

Blake continued with his story, not even caring whether Draco had stopped listening or not. "I passed out. I woke up three days later at Hogwarts. Harry had taken me back there after what happened at the pub. He explained everything and didn't even flinch when I showed him my Dark Mark. I told him everything that had happened to me. I told him of the desertion and then of the deaths of my family. He didn't think me a coward for not fighting in the war. When I was done with my story, he spoke with the Aurors sent to take me in and informed them that I had been his spy the whole time. It was a blatant lie, but they believed him or they were too afraid to take on the Savior. I was taken off the most wanted list and left alone to do with my life as I wanted. The bad thing was that I didn't have anywhere to go.

"Enter Harry Potter again. He set me up with enough money to last me a few years so I could live peacefully while I found a steady living arrangement. He rented a flat I could stay at and then warded it himself so no one could get in. He left and I didn't expect to see him again.

"A couple of months later, he came to me with the proposition of being his manager. He had barely started his career and he already needed someone to help him set up appearances and shows. I agreed even though I didn't know much of his career. It was his way of, once more, helping me out when I needed it. He had heard I couldn't get a job even though I was cleared. One look at my Dark Mark and the people would turn around scared. It worked, because over the last months, I have learned more about the Muggle world than I thought possible. I can successfully run his appearances without so much as a phone call. Thanks to him, I'm here today. Doing this job that has been the most fun I have had in a while."

Draco leaned back into the chair as he listen to the end of Blake's story.

It amazed him how Harry could do so much for a person he didn't even know. What if Blake had turned against him? What would have happened if Blake had taken that money Harry had given him and thrown it away on more self destruction? But Harry had trusted him and he had been repaid for his troubles.

The same thing had happened with him, Draco.

Why did Harry trust so wholeheartedly? _How_ could Harry trust at all, when he had been betrayed by so many?

It baffled him completely.

They talked for a few more minutes, comparing stories and how they had both been save by the same person.

When Draco made to leave, he stopped at the door and looked back at the man. He had gone back to analyzing the papers on the desk, as if nothing had just happened. "Blake?"

The man looked up, surprise in his eyes. That was the first time he had heard Malfoy call him by his given name. "Yeah?"

Draco shrugged and opened the door. "I don't read minds. I'm just able to see what you are thinking because were are worried over the same person. It has nothing to do with mind reading and everything to do with worry." He left, a smile on his face at the confused expression on Blake's face.

~O~

Okay, so Harry hadn't gone back home like he had intended to do so. He had tried, but, halfway back, he hadn't wanted to go, so he had turned around and gone back the other way. He didn't know where he was going, but he did remember passing a sign that read "Welcome to Port Angeles". It didn't really mean much since he didn't know the surrounding towns but at least he had a reference point.

Once at the town, he had decided that he would buy whatever he needed. It had still been pretty early so he had taken his time, however, several hours later, he regretted ever going shopping without one of his friends there with him.

There were so many people at the stores since it was the weekend. It was seriously annoying. It wasn't that he didn't like people, it was just that when he was around, people seemed to notice that he was there, especially when he talked in a British accent. He had tried several times to get rid of it, or to at least water it down so that it wouldn't sound so strong, but it hadn't worked. The only result he had gotten were several giggling girls and one immensely annoyed cashier. So he had stopped trying, not that it mattered.

Harry sighed. He would bring Draco with him next time, or Neville. At least, then he would have someone to talk to while he went through all the process of making himself invisible.

_Why the hell were people so annoying?_

He had been able to tell that some people knew him from his records. They probably just thought they knew him from somewhere but didn't know from where. The albums' cover arts didn't carry his picture, but reporters had been constantly taking it when he hadn't been looking, despite all the threats from Blake. It was only a matter of time before someone really did notice and put two and two together.

Harry revved the engine of the Ferrari and smiled when it purred. The only thing the Ferrari was good for was a good race. He didn't like riding it, but he liked the idea of racing down a street with the other person falling behind him. It would be better with a Bugatti but beggars couldn't be choosers.

He glanced at the rearview mirror and smiled when he noticed that the road was deserted from all ways, but then what did he expect from a small town in the middle of the night? There was no way there would be people out at midnight walking the streets. There was only a shiny, silver Volvo approaching from behind him, but he almost laughed at the absurdity of the idea. If he challenged, the Volvo would probably be left in the dust while the Ferrari took off.

Harry glanced at the red light and revved up the Ferrari again. His eyes widened when the Volvo pulled up next to him and did the same, apparently accepting the challenge. He couldn't believe it. _What was the driver thinking?_ The car would fall apart before he could reach the finish line. He wanted to take off his sunglasses and convey the message to the other driver, but he didn't.

The brunette tightened his hand on the steering wheel and glanced at the other car. The first thing he noticed here the dark sunglasses over the driver's eyes, even though it was clearly night time. Harry was immediately glad he hadn't take his sunglasses off when he had thought of doing so. He pointed to the light and waited until the other driver nodded in agreement. Then the other driver pointed to the end of the street. They were in agreement.

They would take off when the light turned green. The race would be over when one of them reached the other side, a half-mile away.

Taking a deep breath, Harry relaxed his muscles and turned on the radio. He concentrated better when there was music, be it whatever it was he was doing at the moment.

The light switched and Harry released the brake and pressed his foot on the gas pedal harshly. The Ferrari's tires squealed and he was off.

~O~

There was nothing Edward had been expecting less than the black Ferrari at the red light. He didn't even know what he was thinking when he pulled up to the car and revved his engine in challenge.

In fact, he hadn't really been thinking about much at all.

After he had left Carlisle, Edward had wanted to escape for a moment. He didn't want to run. He hadn't even made up his mind of where to go. He had just taken a road and thought of the information he had of the British people.

He drove for hours, stopping once to fill up his Volvo. His mind still not made up, he had driven through Forks and then back to Port Angeles. He didn't want Alice to see what he was doing. He didn't want her to worry and then tell Esme, who would worry more and make a big fuss over him when he got home. He just wanted to be left alone for a moment. No future seeing. No mind reading. No emotion reading. Just him and his thoughts.

Unfortunately for him, he couldn't get rid of the mind reading. It was just there always. It was on his way back through Port Angeles that he heard a weird thought. He knew to whom the thought belonged.

The girl was unforgettable.

She was annoying _and_ an airhead. But her thoughts had been clear.

_I wonder what _he's_ doing here? Oh god, he is so hot. _

Edward snorted. Knowing the girl, she had probably seen Mike Newton or someone else from Forks High. It was the only reason she would react that way.

He skimmed her thoughts and gasped when he saw her mental picture of the person she had seen. Granted, she had exaggerated the image of the British, but it was possible to tell whom she was talking about. Edward had seen him, of course, sans the sparkling sunlight around him and the shinning eyes. But he had seen him nevertheless.

It was Harry, from the airport.

Edward had panicked for a moment, until he noticed that Jessica had seen him shopping and not looking for someone in particular. Could it be that he didn't even know the vampire coven he had seen at the airport lived nearby?

He pulled out of Jessica's thoughts and jumped into someone else's. They had also seen Harry, but they didn't know whom he was. The boy just knew that the girl he was on a date with was freaking out because she had just seen the other boy. He didn't understand how a girl could be going out with someone and just completely ignore him in favor for another she didn't even know.

The vampire studied the girl's thoughts and frowned. Again, he saw Harry, but this time from a fanatic point of view. It was obvious that the girl was a fan of Harry's. She knew almost every single one of his songs and had followed the concerts he had given close by, even though she hadn't been able to go to them. She owned three albums and was expectedly waiting for the fourth one to come out so she could buy it. Harry Potter was like a religion to her and she worshipped him more than some people worshipped God. There was nothing she wouldn't do to get his autograph. It was rumored that he had never given his autograph out to anyone, not even those he considered close to him. Other than the albums he had out, he didn't sell any merchandise like other artists did. He was a rare artist. He made his money only of his sales and his concerts. She would absolutely love to have his autograph.

The only thing stopping the girl from going after him was the boy she was with. It wouldn't look good if she suddenly went after Harry and left her boyfriend behind.

Disgusted, Edward had pulled out of the girl's mind and had begun to search of the other teen. He hadn't been able to find him, though he had put together that the black Ferrari every guy was envying and the famous rockstar every girl wanted to talk to were together. There couldn't be two new things in Port Angeles at the same time.

He had given up after he had searched for an hour, which was why had been surprised when he had found the black Ferrari purring quietly at the red light. His mind had gone blank, he didn't know what to do now that he had found him, which was why when he heard the challenge, he had answered back.

The Volvo was modified, so he knew that the car could hold it's own against the racing car. There would be no problem. He just didn't know why he wanted to race in the first place. He had always been a reserved person, up until he had met Bella, he had made no attempt of conversing with his fellow classmates. This took him by surprise.

They came to an agreement and then the light turned green.

~O~

Harry glanced on at the rearview mirror. His brow furrowed when he saw that the Volvo wasn't behind him. It took him a second to locate the other car next to his, completely keeping up with the Ferrari.

_You're not the only one  
__Refusing to back down  
You're not the only one  
So get up_

_Let's start a riot, a riot  
Let's start a riot  
Let's start a riot, a riot  
Let's start a riot_

The brunette frowned. He didn't want a riot. He wanted the Volvo to fall back and lose so he could go back to living his life. He pressed his foot into the gas pedal and whooped when the F430 Scuderia gained speed, overtaking the Volvo.

_If you feel so filthy  
__So dirty, so fucked up  
If you feel so walked on  
So painful, so pissed off_

_You're not the only one  
Refusing to go down  
You're not the only one  
So get up_

_Let's start a riot, a riot  
__Let's start a riot  
Let's start a riot, a riot  
Let's start a riot_

Harry knew there was a reason why he had written the song. But he couldn't think of it at the moment. He just knew it had to do with the way everyone had fucked him up. With the way everyone had used him and then left him with nothing more than the memories.

The frown returned before he could even gain a foot, because the Volvo was just keeping up with him, never letting him gain more than the time before.

The finishing line was coming up and neither of them could gain more than a few inches before the other was upon them again. Frustration was settling in and the next thing either of them knew, Harry swerved and hit the silver car. He released the gas pedal and slammed on the brake before either of the cars hit again. The Ferrari did a 360 before coming to a full stop.

Frozen, Harry closed his eyes and ran a hand through his hair. _Oh god, Blake is going to kill me. This is his car. As the father, he will probably ground me as well._ Harry couldn't think of anything else. It was a good thing the street was deserted or he would have been in a bigger mess than he already was. _What was the other driver going to think? _He had instigated the race and he had been the one who had lost control. This so _not_ a good thing.

Slowly, he got out of the car and looked toward the Volvo, which was about ten yards from where he was. _Oh god, the driver isn't getting out. Is he hurt?_

Harry couldn't move and only released the breath he didn't know he was holding in when the other car's door opened and out came the driver.

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**A/N:** Thank you all for reading. Again, I am really sorry for not posting earlier, but things happen. I honestly didn't know my friend's computer had a USB port. The next chapter is already finished and should be up in while. Starting over now has **41** reviews, **66** favs, and **106** alerts.

The song is "Riot" by Three Days Grace.

Thank you to the people who reviewed. I tried to respond to you all: **JasperHaleIsHott**, **Lientjuhh**, **Elfin69**, **tashtash0**, **njferrell**, **fifespice (twice over for the two reviews.)**, **TMRHP11**, **cookyc**, **animaluvr123**, **Phaenilix**, **beauty0102**

Again, my computer was being stupid and some links to reviews didn't show up so here are the answers to those.

**Hufflepuff96: **You asked whether Harry and Ron were dating. They weren't. Harry and Ron were only living together. Ron was together with Hermione.

And a weird review that came up as being from **T** : No Harry didn't lose all his belongings when he left. He went back for them afterwards. And yes, something horrible is going to happen to them. I'm working on it.

Cookies to all those who reviewed. Review some more.


	7. The Truth

**Disclaimer: I do not own anything Harry Potter or Twilight related.**

**Summary:** Edward offers help and Harry takes it. Will Harry harm Edward or will it be the other way around?

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**Chapter VII- The Truth**

Edward could have said he saw it coming, but he hadn't and he couldn't. It was a fact of life. If it hadn't been for the barrier around the other's mind, he was positive he could have avoided what happened, but it was and he hadn't.

The race had started and everything had seemed fine. Edward loved the rush the race was giving him. It was liberating to say the least. Slower than running but just as good. He had never really been competitive outside of his family. He was always training with Jasper or wrestling with Emmett. It was nice to have some new competition. He could hear the song "Riot" coming from the other car and he knew that the song was Harry's as well. By the way the other driver was picking up speed, he also knew that he wanted to win, but he was damned if he was going to let him take the lead. He didn't like to lose.

He pressed on the gas pedal, keeping up with the Ferrari effortlessly. He could still put more speed into the Volvo, but he wanted to see just how fast Harry was willing to take it. Before long, both were going over 100 mph and adding more as the short seconds passed. Edward was surprised the human could go that fast and still keep his eyes on the road. Most humans would have been dizzy with the speed.

They were just about to reach the makeshift finish line when the hit came unexpectedly.

He hadn't been able to react fast enough to the other car. The rush of the race still too strong and it was muddling his senses.

The Ferrari had come out of nowhere and slammed into the Volvo. For a moment, Edward was amazed he had crashed and didn't react accordingly to the situation. Through the rearview mirror, he saw the black car skid as the brakes were applied. It did a full 360 before it stopped completely.

Edward tapped on the brakes, not wanting to damage his car more than it already was. He heard the tires squeal before the car slammed to a stop as well.

He just sat there. He still couldn't get past the fact that he had crashed. _How many more surprises did life have for him?_ He hadn't crashed in all his years as a vampire. His reflexes were better than anyone's. He had been able to avoid all kinds of accidents, never once coming close to one. And now, thanks to a human he had seen across an airport lobby, he had had his first crash. _How the hell was he supposed to explain this to Carlisle?_ No, forget about Carlisle. _How was he supposed to explain it to Esme?_ As soon as she saw the car, she was going to go all mother hen on him and practically ground him.

It was then that he heard them.

They were the thoughts he had been wanting to hear since that morning. How he was able to hear them then, he didn't know, but he was surprised. It was possible that in the aftermath of the crash Harry had unconsciously dropped the barrier he kept erected over his thoughts. It was the only explanation he could think of that could let him hear the other's thoughts.

_Oh god, Blake is going to kill me. This is his car._ _As the my father, he will probably ground me as well. What the hell am I going to do? _Edward heard the boy think it was a good thing the street was deserted or he would have been in a bigger mess.

The vampire smiled. What kind of thoughts were those? The human should be worried that he had just gotten into a car crash during an illegal race. He didn't even seem like the threat Carlisle and he had made him out to be. Maybe they had gotten him all wrong. Maybe he didn't want to harm them any more than they wanted to harm him. And what was it with the Blake guy? He was sure the man hadn't gotten off with them at the airport. He hadn't even known there were so many of them arriving, how was it he was "the father"? Had he adopted them afterward, or were they posing with fake papers?

_Oh god, the driver isn't getting out. Is he hurt?_

Edward frowned as he heard that thought. He released his seatbelt and opened the door. Before he could think better of it, he stepped out of the car and turned to look at Harry. He heard the intake of breath from the human as he recognized him. He could hear one word run through the man's mind.

_Vampire._

So he did know what he was.

Edward took several steps toward the other, watching as Harry took an unconscious step backward. He cocked his head and smiled crookedly at him. "It would appear you lost the race."

Harry blinked and glanced at the Volvo. Sure enough, the car was at the end of the street, just before the intersection that led to the highway. He groaned, forgetting for the moment that the person in front of him was a blood sucking fiend of the night and he was alone with him.

"It would appear so," Harry murmured.

Edward laughed and extended out his hand toward him. "Edward Cullen."

Harry took the hand and shook it. Did the teen have no sense of self-preservation? He should be running from him, especially after his friends' reactions at the airport. "Harry Po- Evans. Pleasure to meet you."

The vampire touched the human's mind again and found the barrier back firmly in place. He would have groaned if he hadn't been standing in front of him. As it was, he noticed that Harry didn't flinch at his cold skin. He didn't back away from him to run screaming. He just stood there and studied Edward like he was some sort of experiment. It unnerved him and made him pull his hand away from the human, effectively reversing the roles.

"Don't worry about the car," he motioned toward the Volvo with the hand he had pulled away, trying to mask the action, "I can get it repaired easily enough."

Harry nodded and glanced toward his own car. He groaned and took a step back from the vampire and toward it.

Edward didn't know why he did what he did next. He should have just walked away from the human then and made his way home to get scolded, because by this time Alice must have seen what had happened and told everyone. Instead, he motioned toward Harry's car with his hand. "I'm sure my sister would be able to repair it as well." As soon as he said this, his cell phone went off. In one swift motion, he pulled it out of his pocket and had it up to his ear. He spoke too fast and too low for Harry to hear him.

"Alice?"

"Are you okay, Edward?"

"You know I am."

"That wasn't for my sake. Esme is freaking out about the accident."

"Have you told Carlisle?"

There was a pause. "No, not yet."

"Tell her I'm alright." He moved away from Harry and toward the Volvo. Why had Alice told Esme to begin with? They all knew she would not calm down until she saw Edward for herself and made sure he wasn't hurt. They were her children despite the fact that the she couldn't have any. "Ask Rose if she wants to fix up the cars."

There was silence from the other end as Alice went to do what Edward had told her. He knew Alice had already seen him offering their help to Harry, just like he was sure the rest of his family had already heard the conversation, but he didn't know why she hadn't already asked Rose for the favor.

"She says you will owe her for the next century, but she will do it. Between the two of us, I think she wants to meet the person who made you crash your car." He heard the laughter in Alice's voice and had to wonder whether Rosalie was standing next to her.

Edward sighed. He knew what favors Rose would ask. It would probably involve some sort of shopping spree or something to do with the newest fashions. He had no choice, though, but to accept her terms. He wouldn't be able to fix up Harry's car without Rose's help. She was the one who worked on them. As to the crash, thanks to Alice, he wouldn't be able to live it down. With their reflexes, they didn't crash. But he had and now he was in for a long year.

"Fine, tell her I accept. I'll probably bring him over tonight. I don't think he wants to go back to his house with the car in the state it's in."

Silence followed his statement as Alice and the others digested what he had just said. He knew they were debating his sanity. _Why would he bring home another human when the last one had recently gotten hurt?_ But he was sure his family would be able to behave themselves in front of Harry. It wasn't like he didn't already know what they were.

"I'll let them know." She was silent for a second and Edward pulled the phone from his ear to shut it off. "Edward, be careful. He hasn't made up his mind yet, but it could really hurt you if he made the wrong decision."

The vampire closed the phone and slipped it back into his pocket. He turned to find that Harry was in the Ferrari trying to turn it on. When the car wouldn't do anything, the brunette banged his head against the steering wheel and stayed there, not knowing if Edward had asked about the cars. He really didn't want to go back home and tell Blake he had crashed his Ferrari because he had wanted to race. He didn't really know what Blake was capable of doing to him anymore. A few days ago, he would have said Blake would throw a tantrum and then get over it, but with what happened today…...he just didn't know anymore.

Edward walked quietly over to him and smiled. "Rose says she will fix your car."

Harry's head snapped up. _What were the vampires playing at? Did they want to eat him. Oh wait, vampires didn't eat humans. They sucked them dry. Killed them._

"Are you sure?"

He nodded and placed his hand on the door. "Come on. I'll hook up your car to mine and I'll drive you over to my house. Rose should have the cars ready before the weekend is out."

Harry had no choice but to accept the offer. He didn't want to appear rude to the vampire and he knew that there was no way he would be able to find a place that would fix his car up in one weekend. At least, not here in Port Angeles. The town was so remote that the shop would probably have to order the parts from Seattle. Then where would he be. He had to return to Blake's by Monday so he could report to classes that day.

God, he hated his life.

It didn't take long for Edward to do what he had told Harry he would do. He motioned for the wizard to get into the passenger's side and then got in as well. He turned the air up and started to drive in the direction they had been going earlier.

In the close confinement of the car, he could smell Harry's scent and while it was tantalizing, he was able to ignore it. It had nothing on the scent Bella had carried on her. No, this was a softer, an almost subtle scent. He didn't know what it was. He had never smelled anything like it, but he was sure he could live without obsessing over it like he had done over Bella's. It did intrigue him, but that was all it did. It didn't entice the monster inside of him. It didn't rise some primitive urges he had had before. No, he actually enjoyed the scent. Only because he was able to avoid the hunger he usually got. It was comforting to find that the new human wasn't like Bella. He wasn't his singer and would more than likely never entice him the way Bella had.

Harry shifted uncomfortably in the seat and looked at the vampire. He glanced at the dashboard and frowned slightly.

Edward was doing 100 mph. He didn't seem to have a problem with his driving. His reflexes were honed. So why hadn't he been able to avoid the crash from earlier?

What was a vampire doing racing through a small town with a human? What did he think he was going to get out of helping him with the Ferrari? Had he been against the war or for it? Harry was sure the magical communities all around the world had heard of the war. Many of them had participated in one way or another. Had this vampire heard of them as well? He didn't remember seeing him at any of the battles, especially the last one. But there had been coordinated attacks through out Britain. It could have been that he had been at one of the other sites.

Sighing, Harry couldn't take it anymore. "Why are you helping me?"

Edward turned to face him. For the first time, Harry noticed that the sunglasses had never left their place. He had taken his off when he had tried to turn on the Ferrari and eavesdropped on his conversation, but Edward's had remained in place the whole time. He was probably trying to hide his red eyes.

"I feel guilty for your car. It's expensive and if I hadn't accepted your challenge it would be okay right now." His soft voice floated to Harry as he spoke. It was a voice that spoke of years of loneliness. An old-world voice that spoke of a long, unsatisfied life. A voice _wary_ of life. A voice Harry sometimes spoke in.

Harry shook his head. "That's not what I mean. Cullen, I know what you are. Aren't you afraid I will tell your secret to the rest of the world? Aren't you afraid I could start a long war between your race and the...the rest of the people?"

"I don't think the world would fight over me street racing illegally," Edward murmured so softly that for a moment Harry didn't know whether he had heard the vampire or not.

Harry made a noise of exasperation and yanked the sunglasses off Edward's face. His eyes widened when instead of seeing the red menacing eyes he had been expecting, he found molten gold ones instead.

At the airport, he had thought he had imagined the color. He had thought the vampires had been wearing contacts to hide the color of their eyes from the rest of the world. But here, in the quiet seclusion of the car, he was sure it was the real color. The vampire in front of him didn't have red eyes. Yes, he was a vampire in every other nature, but the eyes weren't the same. How was it possible? How had he managed to retain such an eye color?

Edward watched Harry's reaction. He was confused by the look of surprised. There was nothing more than that. The teen was obviously surprised at what he had found. It was an unexpected reaction, even though Bella had readily accepted his nature. He had thought Harry would be more self-preserved. Especially after the emotions Jasper had read off of them. They had had encounters with vampires before. It was only natural that they fear all their race. So then, why didn't he show it?

"Why are your eyes that color?" There was no tremble of fear in Harry's voice. There was no surprise. It was as if he was analyzing a very important aspect of life.

"Because they want to be."

Harry's hand tightened on the glasses he held in his right hand and he narrowed his eyes at Edward. "Vampires don't have amber eyes, Cullen," he hissed menacingly. Harry knew that wizards had a hard time fighting off vampires. He knew there were only a few who could do it alone. He also knew he was one of those few who _could_. He knew just what spells worked against vampires and which ones didn't. There were two others in his "family" who could do it. He wasn't defenseless and if Cullen thought he was, then he had another thing coming.

Edward froze. Another surprise for him. Harry knew what color their eyes were supposed to be. Had he encountered so many vampires that he knew what color their eyes were supposed to be, or was he basing his facts on legends he had heard when he was younger, like Bella had done when she had first found out?

"Is this really where you live, or are you after something else? Were you sent here to follow me and take me down when the time was right?"

Taking a deep breath, Edward looked away from the human. He didn't want to hurt him. He didn't want to hurt anyone for that matter.

"I wasn't sent by anyone. Why would anyone want to take out a famous rockstar?"

Harry knew what Edward was doing. He was trying to steer the conversation away from him. It was a diversion that wasn't going to work on him. He had to know what kind of abnormality Edward was in the vampire world. He had to find out if he was the only one there or if there were others somewhere nearby. What was it he had said earlier?

He had a sister. But vampires didn't have siblings, unless they were turned by the same sire. He had mentioned another name when he had answered the phone.

Alice. Who was she and how had she known they had crashed, not seconds after it had happened? Was she another vampire?

"Your eyes, Cullen." Harry persisted.

Again, Edward took a deep breath and gripped the steering wheel. "I guess is doesn't matter since you already know what I am." He glanced at the human and thought about how best to phrase the next couple of sentences. "I want to ask how you know, but you probably won't answer until I have answered yours." Again he paused to think. "Yes, I am a vampire and no we weren't sent here to kill you or any of the others you were with. I didn't even know you existed until this morning at the airport. My family and I live just outside of Forks. We have done so for a few years now. Every now and then we leave to start over in another place and when sufficient time has passed, we return because it is the best place for a vampire to integrate himself into the human race. Our eye color isn't the same as all the other vampires because we exist only on animal blood. We don't kill humans. We don't feed from them. We only interact with them. Nothing more."

Snorting, Harry rolled his eyes and gripped the handle of his wand, which was within easy reach in his pocket. He would have preferred to have the wand in his holster but he didn't want to bring back memories that he would rather leave buried. "You expect me to believe that." He took a deep breath and disapparated from the front seat only to apparate in the back seat not a second later. His wand pointed directly to Edward's neck. "Think about what you tell me, Cullen. I don't believe as easily as others. I have seen things that no one else has. You are just one of those things I have experience with."

If Edward had been a human, he would have had a heart attack when he saw Harry disappear from the front seat. He didn't know how the human could do that. He was a vampire, but he could feel the fear settling in on him. He could tell that Harry wasn't an ordinary human being. This person was capable of killing him if given the chance and the motive. He understood what Alice had said earlier to him.

He brought the Volvo to a stop in front of a huge house. It wasn't as big as Blake's, but Harry knew it had probably been the biggest house in Forks before they had arrived.

"So tell me, Cullen, how am I supposed to act around a house full of vampires?"

Edward took a deep breath and pushed the wand away from his neck. He knew what the human was now. He had heard of them from Carlisle. It made sense now that he thought about it. Harry had a shield around his mind that could not be penetrated unless he lowered it. He knew what they were without having to ask questions. He had people after him who would do anything to capture him, or at least, that was the idea he gave. According to Jasper, his emotions were raw and amplified, like he had been in a war or in a long fight. Everything made sense. The British magical community had recently had a civil war. Harry had probably participated in it, whether it was for or against.

"Just act natural. Don't make up your mind about anything unless you want Alice to see it and keep your emotions in check if you want to talk to Jasper."

Harry blinked at the information Edward had so readily given him. What was it with this vampire? He could easily kill him and all he had done was tell him how to avoid conflicts with his family.

Sitting back, Harry asked the next question warily. "How many of you are there?"

Edward debated with himself. Should he tell Harry how many of them there were? If he told him otherwise, he knew Alice would see and probably leave with Jasper. But he had already warned Harry about Jasper and Alice, so it would seem odd if they weren't home when he had already told him about them.

"Okay don't tell me how many of you there are. I can estimate." Harry went back to the conversation he had heard from Edward and Alice at the site. "Let's see. There's you, Alice, Jasper, Rose, Esme, and Carlisle." Harry ticked them off with his fingers. "Am I missing anyone?"

The vampire felt exasperation settle in. How had Harry known their names? Maybe it was _he _they should be worried about. "Emmett. You missed Emmett."

Harry nodded and opened the door. "Of course." He waited for Edward to leave the car as well before continuing. "I'm actually impressed. There are seven in your coven. The only larger coven I have heard about is the Volturi."

Sighing, Edward glanced at the wand still pointed at him and went to unhook the Ferrari. "Is there anything you don't know about us." He glanced at Harry. "If you walk in the house with your wand pointed at me, they will go on the defensive. They will take you down and ask questions later. So if you don't mind, I would appreciate it if you put the wand away. I promise not to harm you or to let any harm come to you while you're here."

Nodding, Harry put the wand away. He wasn't surprised with the fact that Edward had figured out what he was. There were very few vampires who didn't know about the Wizarding world. And those few were the ones who ignored anything magical, opting to believe otherwise.

"Now, I'm sure that the others want to meet you. Come. I want Rose to look at the cars and make sure she doesn't need anything to fix them up. The sooner she can look at them, the faster your car will be ready."

Harry didn't know why he followed so readily. He had to agree however, that he was fascinated by the idea of a coven of vampires who only survived on animal blood. He wanted to know the differences between the two types of vampires. Did they act differently? If so, by how much? How did they react to the humans around them? Did they have jobs? It was obvious that they didn't really need the money, if he had to judge by the house.

Before they had even reached the house, a short pixy like vampire came bounding down the steps. The joy and enthusiasm took Harry by surprise and he tensed, but when it looked like no one else was going to greet them until they reached the house, he relaxed slightly. _What the bloody hell did he think he was doing?_

Alice hugged Edward and looked over his shoulder at the teen. She gave him a bright smile and extended her hand, despite the fact that her brother was standing in front of her. "Hi, there. I'm Alice. You are….."

She let sentence trail off and waited for Harry to fill in his name. "Harry Evans. Pleasure to meet you." He added with an afterthought. He didn't want to offend the vampire, especially now that he had been told that they wouldn't harm him unless _he_ threatened them.

The female vampire laughed a tinkling laugh and led the way to the house. She didn't stop to look back and check if they were following, it was as if she knew that they _had_ to follow her. Maybe, they had never really had a choice. Maybe, it had already been written that Harry Potter would one day pass off as a Muggle only to find that he would meet a coven of vampires who passed themselves off as humans and lived like a family. He wondered of that was true. If it _had_ been written, then what else would he do in the future? Would he return to London to live the life he had lived, or would he stay in America and do what he wanted to do? Would his next album be as much of a hit as the one before? Would Edward and his family hurt him or become friends? Would he be betrayed once more?

Not wanting to think anymore on the matter, Harry slowly entered the house. He couldn't help but feel a little wary. He had just entered a house full of vampires.

Alice took his hand and pulled him into the living room with Edward trailing behind them. "Harry, meet the rest of the family." She motioned to a small woman sitting next to a man with blonde hair. "Those are our parents, Esme and Carlisle. My mate, Jasper Hale." She indicated a lithe male with blonde, slightly curly hair. He gave Harry a small smile and then turned away. "Rosalie Hale and Emmett Cullen, who are mates as well." The next two were total opposites. The female was beautiful beyond words. If Harry hadn't known better, he would have thought she was related to Fleur. The male was tall and burly. His large frame was sitting loosely on the couch, as if he didn't have a care in the world. "This is Harry Evans, better known as Harry Potter." Alice motioned to him and smiled when she said his real name.

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**A/N:** I really hope you all didn't find this chapter a little rushed. I wanted Edward to start to establish some sort of friendship with Harry.

Please R&R. I'll give you all cookies.


	8. The Minister's Board of Elite

**A/N:** I have to put this in here. It will drive me insane otherwise. Apparently I didn't read the Twilight Series as well as I had hoped. Just right now, I figured out that Bella's car is Blake's car. I'm not going to take it out, but I was trying not overlap the Cullen cars from the Series with the cars from the Fic. The car will stay, but it will make less appearances since after this chapter, it will officially go back to Blake. Thank you for your time.

**Disclaimer: I do not own anything Harry Potter or Twilight related**

**Summary: **People have asked, so here is the chapter. Hermione and Ron get a rude awakening.

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**Chapter VIII-The Minister's Board of Elite**

Edward was picking at the keys on the piano when he noticed that Rosalie had just walked in from the garage. He lifted his eyebrow at her, mentally sending her a message that he knew she wouldn't hear but would understand, and looked back down at the piano when she nodded slightly. He didn't need any more affirmation. He didn't need to hear her thoughts. His car was finished. Rosalie had worked on it for almost a day now. While she could have had it done before, she liked taking her time fixing them up. It was _her_ way of escaping her fate and knowing her, it probably ran better than it had done before. Of course, she had left the rest of the time for the Ferrari, because she had fallen in love with it and wanted it to look perfect. She didn't like the owner just quite yet, but she didn't mind the car.

Sighing, he touched the keys again and stood up. He didn't feel like playing. There were too many things on his mind

Alice took his arm and steered him toward the large sofa. She pushed him down and shut the TV off, receiving groans and threats from Emmett. Turning it back on, she kissed Jasper's cheek and winked at Emmett, who had just crashed and lost the game, making Jasper the winner.

"Okay, Edward. What's bothering you so much? Don't say 'nothing' because we know you better than that."

Esme came out of the kitchen, a spoon in her hand, to listen to what Edward had to say. She had spent the better part of the last hour making food. She had even gone to the extent of sending Emmett and Jasper out for extra while she "made do" with what she had in the fridge.

Edward sighed, he ran a hand through his hair. "I don't think Carlisle should be spending so much time with Harry. We don't know anything about him. What if he were to hurt him while they were in there alone?" He looked out into the distance and, not for the first time, tried to listen in on what his sire and their guest were talking about. He heard nothing and he shouldn't have been so surprised. They hadn't been able to hear anything since the two had gone into the office. He did however hear Carlisle's thoughts. It had something to do with a man called Albus Dumbledore but the vampire was making it very difficult to read his mind. It was as if he was trying to hide something from them and it irritated Edward beyond what he thought was possible.

"Are you sure that's the only thing you're worried about?"

The vampire looked at his sister with a confused look on his face.

She laughed. She couldn't help it. Ever since Bella had spent time them, they had been more open with their emotions. They let their siblings see their emotions more. Edward more than most. He was like an open book to them.

"I don't see what other thing I would be worried about. We don't _know_ what he is here for. Rose is just starting on his car, but he could be in my room staying away from us, like he did yesterday. The way he acted when I first brought him here didn't insight trust. He is trained. Well beyond what most of his people are. The way he spoke. The way he acted. It was all there. He _is_ dangerous. I don't think Carlisle should spend so much time alone with him."

Esme had already gone back to the kitchen but she could still hear Edward's soft spoken response. She was worried. There were few things that worried Edward. She was sure his worries were unfounded. Harry didn't look like he could hurt anyone. But Edward was making too much out of it and she knew why.

Belle had gotten close to Edward and she had gotten hurt. It was the only reason why Edward didn't want to let anyone else in. He didn't want to see anyone else get hurt because of them. He didn't _want_ to let anyone else in. It pained her to see her youngest son so hurt. So vulnerable. She wanted him to find someone he could trust and enjoy being with, not like Bella. She had only enticed the monster inside of him. No. For him, she wanted someone who would see him for whom he really was, not just the beautiful creature everyone saw. She wanted someone who would understand him and be there for him when he needed someone.

~~O~~

Carlisle crossed his arms and frowned. "So, Dumbledore is dead?"

Harry nodded and ran his hand over his wand.

For the last day, he had done nothing but rest and laze around, until he had really met Carlisle and they had started to talk. It was wonderful to speak to someone who knew so much about the Wizarding world without being a complete part of it. Yes, it was good to have someone he knew live with him. But Carlisle was a complete stranger and he just knew things about his world that no one else could know. He was a stranger and that was what enticed Harry to trust in him. He was genuinely interested in what he had to say.

"He died at the end of my sixth year. Draco Malfoy was ordered to kill him, but in the end, Dumbledore had always known Draco couldn't do it. He and Severus concocted a plan that would keep Draco from harming himself and from fulfilling Voldemort's orders. The Headmaster was already dying and Dumbledore thought it would be best if he died this way. Severus would hold a high position in Voldemort's inner circle, with this action, that would get him closer to the Dark Lord. I didn't know at first. It was so carefully planned out that _no_ one except the perpetrators knew of it. We all thought Severus had really killed Dumbledore."

Carlisle remained silent for a moment before asking the next question. "What of Severus?"

Harry's head snapped up at the question. "Did you know him?"

Smiling softly, Carlisle sat down and nodded. "He was a friend for many years. I crossed words with Dumbledore but it was Severus who was my friend. I visited for many months when I was last in Britain. He had an intriguing personality. Always tried to keep me away from the Dark Lord's sight."

"He died as well, sir."

"I'm very sorry to hear that. He was a good man. Despite how he acted sometimes. One of the best of them."

Harry nodded. He knew that. Snape might have hated him but he had been a good man. He had been a good Headmaster and a good teacher. It had just been his dislike for Harry's dad that had caused the hatred between them. But Harry was sure that if he had been the son of another man, even if he had been Lily's, Snape would have liked him more. He might have even ended up in his House at Hogwarts. Maybe in another reality, Harry had turned out to be a Slytherin and Snape had like him. The thought made him smile.

The brunette caught the puzzling look Carlisle was giving him. "What is it, Mr. Cullen?"

"Don't you miss being around your people? You were part of them for seven years. Don't you miss everything you learned? There are some people who would do anything to go back to what they had before."

The silence stretched out before them as Harry thought of how best to respond to that. He didn't really miss the people as much as he missed the Wizarding world, but everything came to an end. Despite everything, the end hadn't been a few days ago, when he left. The end had been when all his friends decided he was the next Dark Lord. The end had been when that look of fear passed over Ron's face. When that tremble had entered his voice. That had been the end for him. He didn't want to go back to the Wizarding world if he didn't have anyone to go back to. It made sense to him, even if it didn't make sense to anyone else. That was all that mattered.

"You have to understand that while I lived seven years with them, eight if you count the year before my parents were killed, I have lived almost eleven years away. I was raised in a Muggle family, albeit, a horrible Muggle family, but one nonetheless. Despite that, things have happened. Things even I don't really understand. The people I thought I knew, I never really knew at all. All the people I considered friends and family are dead one way or another. The only thing I really have in the Wizarding world is a little flat outside of London that the reporters keep trying to get into and even that is right at the edge of the magical community. You take a small step to the right with you exit the building and you're in the Muggle world. I really don't miss much from that life. It's horrible to think of it in such a dim light, but otherwise I would be speaking nothing but rubbish."

Nodding, Carlisle picked up a pen from his desk and studied for a moment. He could see all the flaws in the plastic, but he didn't really see them. His mind was wondering over the information he had gathered from the boy. How could a person hurt somebody so much? One would have to be seriously depraved or completely amoral to do such a thing to anybody.

"I wanted to start a new life here in America, even if it _was_ for a little while. The reporters back in Britain were driving me crazy. The only interview I gave resulted in more reporters than expected. I had to get away from it."

Harry didn't know what else to say. He sounded stupid, he knew it, especially since he had been the one who had started the fame. If he hadn't started the whole singing thing he would probably only have had to deal with the Daily Prophet reporters, as it was, he had to deal with everyone.

Chuckling, Carlisle put the pen back on the desk. "It _is_ amazing how much everyone loves your music. How long have you been in the business?"

Blushing, Harry looked down at his hands. "Only several months."

Carlisle was baffled for a moment. He had thought Harry had been at it for years, especially since he had three albums out and there was a rumor that the fourth one had to be out soon. How did someone accomplish something so fast?

"Several months?"

Harry nodded once and looked over at the bookshelf. His emotions were roiling inside of him. Why was he talking so much anyway? This vampire _didn't_ need to hear about him. "People hear. They love it. They demand more. I expect things to go slower now that I'm not involved with the Wizarding world. Records are brought out much faster since everything is done via magic. Spells and charms help the process of recording and producing. The Muggle world is slower but at least it gives the people a chance to breathe; to digest what they hear and to learn about it before the next one comes out. When I first started everything, I forbade my manager to sell any merchandise that wasn't an album. I let the recording studio know the same thing and they didn't dare defy my orders. I haven't sold a single poster, t-shirt, hat, sweater, calendar, or picture. I have never given my autograph, because to give out your signature is to give magical people an advantage over you." He hadn't taken his eyes off of the bookcase. He wasn't looking at it. His mind was far off, remembering that day when he had told Blake to forbid merchandise. He remembered the shocked look on his manager's face.

The vampire took a deep breath. He could see that Harry was closing off to him. He didn't want to talk about himself. It was only natural after everything he had gone through, so Carlisle didn't blame him.

"Harry, why don't you go and rest for a while. It will be some time before Rosalie has your car done. Go down and see if Esme has something for you. She had been dying to try out her cooking skills on someone new. She doesn't do it very often and it would get you into her good graces if you had some of her food."

Nodding, Harry stood and left. He made his way downstairs, noticing that there was no one in the living room. He wondered vaguely where they had gone. Maybe they had decided that they couldn't take a human being in their house after all and had to get out before they harmed him. It wouldn't be the first time something like that happened to him. He seemed to be a magnet for trouble.

He shrugged, the less he saw them the better. He didn't want to get attached, only to be betrayed once more. It would be too much if it happened a second time.

~~O~~

Hermione looked around the amphitheatre with some surprise. She didn't know why the Board had called her there. She only knew that they wanted to talk to her. Thanks to them, she wouldn't be able to finish her work on time. She hoped they made it quick, whatever it was they wanted from her. As the Undersecretary of the Minister, she had a lot of work that couldn't be late because the Board wanted to _talk_ to her.

With loud cracks, the members of the board started appearing one by one until there were only two missing: the minister himself and another.

She glanced at them and then down at the papers in her hand. She really needed to get them to their destination if she intended to capture Harry Potter. With these papers in circulation, he wouldn't be able to hide from the Wizarding world. It was only a matter of time before she brought him in. It wasn't a job the Undersecretary would do, but it was one no one else wanted to do so it was up to her.

"Hermione Granger. Daughter of two Muggles and previous Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry student. Holds the current position of Undersecretary to the Minister of Magic, Kingsley Shacklebolt." A person announced from her left.

She turned her head slightly to acknowledge the person and then turned to the Board once more. She didn't know what else to do. The board was usually only in session when there was someone that needed to be interviewed. In fact, the Board was _almost_ always only in session when a rogue Deatheater was captured or when someone of high importance was making an appearance.

Hermione Granger _was_ smart. She had thought of replacing the Wizengamont with a select group of people who were loyal to the Minister of Magic. The name had been changed to the Minister's Board of Elite. The MBE. They were the one's who had the most say in matters of utmost importance. It was their opinions that mattered. If you couldn't turn a member of the MBE to your side, then you couldn't count on the support of the whole Board. The Minister was the only one who could completely control them.

"Ms. Granger, if you could have a seat, we would like to get started."

She nodded and sat down in one of the empty chairs.

"Very well, Minister, if you would please start."

Shacklebolt nodded and leaned back into his seat. "Ms. Granger, is it true that you used to visit Harry Potter's flat before he went missing from the Wizarding world?"

Confused, Hermione nodded and put the papers she held in her hand on her lap. "It's true, but I didn't visit him. I visited my boyfriend, Ronald Weasley. He used to live with Potter before he moved out."

The Minister nodded and motioned with his hand at the man who had introduced Hermione to the rest of the Board. The quill by the man's head started to write rapidly. He then turned back to Hermione to ask her another question.

"Is it true that you were with Mr. Potter through out all of you last year at Hogwarts? Did you and Mr. Potter at some point separate yourselves from Mr. Weasley?"

Again, Hermione nodded, but she felt compelled to give more information on the subject. She didn't want them to think she had left Ron in order to go off with Harry. And if the information would help them apprehend Potter than she would give them as much as possible. "I didn't do it because I wanted to. Potter was really obsessed with the Horcrux he was carrying. Ron got fed up and left. I stayed with him because some part of me was scared of him turning Dark, while the other part of me wanted to just get the other Horcruxes and get it over with. I wanted the War to end so I could return to my family. I wanted to make sure that they were gone."

"At that point in time, did you know or have any idea how many deaths would result from the war?" The last question wasn't from the Minister. No, it was from Minerva McGonagall. She had just appeared with a loud crack in the empty chair next to the Minister of Magic.

Startled, Hermione answered the question. She had no idea the Headmistress had joined the MBE. "I had an idea, but I never thought there would be so many. Potter only wanted to fight. He wanted to get the War over and done with, even if it meant killing people in the process. When we were trapped at Malfoy Manor, he didn't try his best to help me out of the pain and torture the Deatheaters were putting me through."

Hogwart's Headmistress nodded slowly before asking another question. "Before you say anything else, what happened during your first year at Hogwarts? According to you, Harry Potter didn't care about anyone but himself. Yet, when you were down there getting the Philosopher's Stone, Mr. Weasley was down and he decided to go alone, not wanting to risk you or Ronald any further. Prey tell me how he got that far into the obstacle course."

Hermione's eyes widened. What they were doing finally sunk in. They didn't want to get any information on Harry. They wanted information on the participation she had had in Harry's life. They planned on incriminating her. Guilty by association. How was she supposed to get out of this one? All the information she had given them was being used against her. They were using the very process she had established to get rid of her.

"Ms. Granger, will you please answer the question." That was the Minister.

She swallowed. "I helped him get that far. He wasn't very adept at potions and I was the only one who really paid attention when Severus Snape taught us."

Minerva waved her hand in an absent manner before she adjusted her glasses on her nose. "Please start at the beginning, Ms. Granger."

"When we got to the trapdoor Fluffy was guarding, we discovered it was music what put the giant, three-headed dog to sleep. Afterward, I stopped the Devil's Snare, and we proceeded. Harry captured the key we needed to open the door. Ron helped us get through the giant Chess board. We left him behind so we could go on and get to the Philosopher's Stone before anyone else could. That's when were encountered the Black Flames. In order to get through them, we had to find the right potions. Harry continued on while I went back to look after Ron."

"And in your second year?"

"We opened the Chamber of Secrets."

"Third year?"

"We helped an escaped convict get away from the Dementors. We turned back time so he wouldn't get the Kiss." Hermione didn't know how to come up with reasonable explanations to all their actions. Even if they had been the right ones at the moment, this all led back to the fact that hey wanted to capture Harry and incriminate her in the process. Oh god, how was she supposed to get out of this? But she knew that no matter what she tried, they had marked her and she wasn't getting out of anything. The whole trial process was a placebo to make other people feel like they had a chance. It served no purpose. "We knocked a professor unconscious and then dallied with a werewolf while we held Peter Pettigrew captive."

"Fourth year?"

She bowed her head at that. "I helped Harry with his tasks during the Triwizard Tournament."

Minerva McGonagall was smiling now. She didn't think it could get any better. Harry had been accused unjustly. He had helped the Wizarding world more than anyone else had. Then, at the whim of the Minister, he had been declared unstable with the help of Hermione Granger and Ronald Weasley, who had abandoned him because the Ministry had planted the idea of Harry going Dark. A stupider excuse, they couldn't have thought of.

"Fifth year?"

"I suggested an illegal club called Dumbledore's Army. I convinced Harry that we needed someone to train us. We broke into the Ministry of Magic to stop a prophecy from being taken and with the help of the Order of the Phoenix, we confronted a group of Death Eaters." It was like she was on autopilot. The answers just came out of mouth before she could stop them.

Kingsley Shacklebolt stood up and nodded slightly at the Headmistress. "I think that is enough, Minerva." He motioned the man with the quill over and whispered something in his ear, which made the man leave rather quickly.

They sat in silence as they waited for him to return from where ever it was that the Minister had sent him off to. It was only a few minutes, but to Hermione, it seem like a lifetime before the door were opened and the man entered, this time with company.

"Ronald Weasley. Son of Molly and Arthur Weasley. Former student of Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. Holds the position of Auror-in-training."

Hermione gasped as Ron was bought in and sat down besides her. "Minister, can you please explain what is going on? Why are we being interrogated when it should be Potter the one you should be looking for? We have done nothing wrong."

Shacklebolt just ignored her and motioned for the others to follow him to the other side of the room so the two couldn't hear him. The gathered around in a tight circle and whispered amongst themselves. It was unnerving to see them like that. It was what they did before they gave out their decision. Before they made their decision known to the rest of the people there. It was a good thing the interrogation had been closed or Hermione would have never been able to live down the humiliation, not that it would matter. She was sure that the news would be in the Daily Prophet by tomorrow.

Ron leaned over to his girlfriend and gave the MBE a fleeting glance. "What are they doing?"

"Ron, they want to incriminate us. With everything we did with Harry, they will find us guilty the same way Potter is. Thanks to him, we will probably lose everything we have now. Our jobs, our homes, everything. This is what his friendship did to us. I knew I shouldn't have helped him out. It went against my better judgment and now look where we are."

The read-head's eyes widened and he looked toward the approaching Board members. There were screwed. Hermione was right. This is was what Harry's friendship brought them. They should have stayed away from him when they had first met.

The Minister of Magic sat down in his chair and looked at the other MBEs. They all nodded their agreement and he proceeded, not waiting for the others to finish sitting down. "In light of all the confessions Ms. Granger has given us, we have come to the agreement that you are guilty of conspiring against the Ministry of Magic. All the 'adventures' you both had with Mr. Potter only proves what you are willing to do to be in good standing with him. Ms. Granger, you are here by relieved of your position as the Undersecretary to the Minister. You are to hand in your letter of resignation no later than an hour from now. Mr. Weasley, you are banned from the Auror department. You cannot finish your training and cannot participate in that branch or in any other branch of the Ministry of Magic. The flat you are keeping is to be released into the custody of the Auror department. You are to abandon it no later than tomorrow morning. The both of you are banned from interacting with any standing member of the British Magical Community."

Hermione's hand tightened around the papers on her lap. This wasn't fair. She had earned her position in the Ministry. She had pulled away from Harry Potter. She didn't want anything to do with him, and yet, she had been found guilty of conspiracy. She was the one working the hardest to get Harry Potter apprehended. How dare they?! They couldn't do this to her!

"How can you just relieve me when I-"

"Ms. Granger, do not argue. I have not take your wands away. I have not thrown you in Azkaban. Be thankful for that. Now, leave before I change my mind."

Ron pulled Hermione out of the room. He could feel her resisting all the way, but he couldn't let her argue. By what they had seen, they had gotten off lightly. But it would only be a matter of time before Potter was captured. When the time came, he was going to make sure the bastard said the whole truth.

Headmistress McGonagall exited the room and glanced at them.

Slowly, she approached before stopping in front of them. "Both of you should have thought before you acted that day. Your betrayal hurt Harry beyond words. His two best friends turning on him on the same day…… It wasn't good. He was sick for a week. It took everything we had to bring him back from the abyss. Then it took more than was possible to keep him where he was. _This _is just a taste of that. The people who like Harry want a word with you two. When the time comes, you two must be very careful where you trend because it just may be that one of those people finds you and the mercy we showed you today won't be shown then." She gave them a huge grin as if she hadn't just threatened them and apparated on the spot.

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A/N: Thank you all for the reviews. If you haven't noticed, I take some of your thoughts and integrated them in here. Person who wanted to know about Hermione and Ron, here you go. For you. Worked on it all day. Hope you like it.

Reviews are always welcomed. Cookies to all those who review the last two chapters: **SPEEDIE22**, **Lientjuhh**, **animaluvr123**, **UnicornsandCentaurs** (2x for the two reviews.), **fifespice** (2x for the two reviews.), **HufflePuff96**, **sanityisgone**, **DianaLynn0724**, **Mrs. Edward Cullen Potter. **Again, I tried to answer all the reviews, but if there was someone I missed, than I am really sorry.

"Starting Over" now has **52** reviews, **73** favs, and **128** alerts. Thank you everyone.

R&R some more. =]


	9. Bets and Wishful Thoughts

**Disclaimer: I do not own anything Harry Potter or Twilight Related. They are their respectful owner's. I also do not have any rights to the songs.**

**Summary:** Edward starts to wonder just exactly happen to Harry.

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**Chapter IX- Bets and Wishful Thoughts**

When Harry first pulled into the parking lot, he thought he might have taken a wrong turn somewhere, but all the students milling around changed his mind. The school was small. Smaller than the other schools he had gone to. Even the school he had been going to when he had lived with his Aunt and Uncle was bigger than the one before him.

The second thing he noticed, were all the cars there. It made him laugh. He wanted to fit in with those around him and he went the opposite way. It wasn't hard to tell that he and his friends didn't belong there. He hadn't expected this, but he guessed it was only a matter of time before everyone knew there were new people in town. He just hoped it didn't attract so much attention to him. It was the last thing he needed.

He parked next to a silver Jaguar XKR Convertible and laughed when saw that Draco was lying on the hood, his sunglasses in place even though the sun didn't seem to come out in Forks. In fact, at that very moment, it was drizzling and the top of the Jaguar was up to prevent it from getting wet inside.

Harry got out and frowned when he spotted Luna sitting alone in an orange Mini Cooper S Convertible. He knew they were going to have to get cars, but he hadn't known they would go all out and buy cars that wouldn't even fit in in London. Harry had the sneaking suspicion that the Jaguar wasn't Draco's. No. It wasn't flashy enough. Knowing the blond, he was sure he had bought something that would catch the attention of everyone present, not that the cars in the parking lot hadn't already done so. But Draco would do it with something more expensive. He would catch the attention with something bright that everyone could see.

"What are you doing there, Draco?"

Draco shot up. He pulled of his sunglasses and grinned. "Potter, I was wondering whether you would show. You know, Blake has been worrying like crazy over you. He thought you would be back by Saturday. When Saturday came and went and you didn't show, he was going to go to the Please Station. I told him you would be back eventually but it didn't seem to put him at ease. I was getting ready to lock him in his room." He couldn't seen to shut up and it amused Harry that Draco was in such high spirits.

"First of all, Draco, it's Police Station. Not please." Harry felt guilty for worrying Blake like he had apparently done. He hadn't meant to. Now that he thought about it, he _should_ have probably called Blake to tell him he was going to stay somewhere else that weekend. He wouldn't have told him he was going to stay with vampires or that he had crashed his Ferrari. Those were two things he didn't want Blake to find out about. "There were things I had to do." Which wasn't a complete lie, really.

Shrugging, Draco slid off the hood of the car. He made a noise of disgust when he found that his jeans were wet. "Really, what possessed you to come to this town?"

The brunette grinned. "Draco, how many people would look for me here? Really, think for once in your life. And don't you dare tell me that this whether is worse than the weather we used to have back home."

There was laughter from behind Harry and he turned around to find Neville holding some papers. "I don't think he can get past the fact that I wouldn't let him bring his car today. There is only so much his brain can handle. Of course, that's only when he's using his brain."

Draco took his watch and placed it against the hood of the car. "Say something else, Longbottom, and the car gets it." He made to pull on the watch downward and was rewarded with an exclamation from Neville. "That's what I thought. Now give me my papers so I can go find whatever it is that needs finding."

Reluctantly, Neville handed a paper to Draco and then looked through the rest of the ones he held. "There is a map here somewhere… Harry did you see Blake this morning?"

"Don't worry about it. If we could make our way around Hogwarts, I'm sure we can find our classes here."

Neville handed Harry another paper.

"Was I supposed to?" He motioned toward the car. "So this is your car?"

Neville nodded and looked at the Jaguar. "Didn't you go home to change? You must of seen him when you went home. He said he wasn't going to leave until you showed up there." He looked at the car and frowned. "We went on Saturday to Seattle. It was a hell of a time getting into the Lamborghini. Blake had to magic it so we could all fit. We didn't know where you were and, since Blake is managing your accounts, Draco decided he wanted to go 'car shopping'. Blake couldn't refuse. But after the third car, it got old. Hearing all the talk about seats and speed and what not made my head ache."

Harry froze. He was sure he had just heard Neville say "after the third car". How many cars had they bought? There were only five of them and there had already been two cars in the family. Why would they buy more than three?

"How many?"

He shrugged and gave Luna her papers, who had just gotten out of the car. Once more, she was dressed in jeans and a red shirt that could barely be seen thanks to the black hoodie she had over it. This wasn't her usual self, and for once it worried Harry that Luna could be depressed. "You can ask Draco about that. I took my car back to the house and didn't leave afterward. Blake was excited about it. So I would guess they were pretty expensive, and if not that then flashy of some sort. You know Draco. He can get pretty excited about new and expensive things." He wasn't even paying attention to Harry anymore.

Draco paled as Harry turned to him. He could tell Harry was angry. He didn't even know what he had done. "Potter, you look like you could hit someone. What did I do?"

"How many?"

"I would answer the question if I knew what you were talking about." Glancing at the paper in his hand, he frowned. "What the hell is Trigonometry?"

"Cars, Malfoy. How many cars are in the garage at home?"

The blond shrugged and backed up into Luna, who was staring idly into space. She didn't seem to mind that everyone was ogling the cars. They were drawing closer` to get a look at the cars that, until then, they had only dreamed of seeing up close. The only ones who had had nice cars had been the Cullens and now, a new family arrived with cars that rivaled theirs. Some people were envious, while others wanted to know what would happen between the two families.

He swallowed loudly. "Um…..there's the Bugatti, and the Porsche….."

"Malfoy…..answer the question," Harry snarled quietly. He was all too aware of the crowd of students. The least he wanted was to hurt Malfoy in front of them.

"Um….not counting the Mini Cooper, the Jaguar, and the Ferrari…..seven." the last word was spoken so softly, Harry thought he had misunderstood.

"Come again?"

"Seven, Potter. There are seven other cars at home."

Harry could almost swear he was going to have a heart attack. Why the hell had they bought so many cars? There were five of them. FIVE. There were ten cars. What had they been thinking? Suddenly, he wished he could curse Draco to hell and beyond. This had to have been his idea. There was no other way to explain such a stupidity."

Not wanting to expose them to the whole school, Harry headed back to the Ferrari and went around to the other side. He opened the door and leaned in to get his stuff. He tried to clear his mind while he was doing so. He didn't want to hurt Draco, _only_ because he had been his only friend for a while, but he was so close to snapping. Ten cars! He couldn't even get past the idea of fitting ten cars into a six car garage. They had probably magicked the place so it wouldn't look so odd.

As if his day hadn't been going so bad already, the Cullens chose that very moment to appear. The Volvo wasn't even fully to a stop when Emmett got out and glanced at him. The whole school held its breath as they watched the proceedings. They wanted to know what the Cullens would do.

Edward locked the car and as he passed Harry with his bag slung over his shoulder, he bowed his head in recognition. Alice laughed and waved from Jasper's side, while he gave him a tentative smile. Rosalie completely ignored him. She might of fixed his car, but it didn't mean she liked him just yet. Emmett, however, stopped and clapped Harry on the back.

"Don't worry about them, they just have to get used to the idea that they're not the new kids anymore." His booming laugh echoed through the parking lot and there were several people who gasped at the Cullens' reactions. They couldn't believe the new kids knew them. Were they related? It didn't seem so, but then, the Cullens _were_ all adopted. It was possible that the new ones were kin of some kind.

Emmett's mirth made Harry smile. He liked Emmett. He had a way of making even the saddest person smile. His excitement and mirth were contagious.

"Will do, Emmett."

The vampire beamed and went to catch up with his siblings.

Neville frowned and looked at Draco, who shrugged, thankful that Harry's attention had been diverted from him.

"Harry, did you see Blake this morning?'

Shaking his head, Harry grabbed a pen that had fallen out of his bag. "I haven't been home since Friday. I summoned my clothes back to the place I was staying at."

The bell rang just as Harry was shutting the door of the car. He sighed and ignored Draco, who was looking at him like he was sincerely sorry. He didn't want to think about what he had done. It wasn't really bad. But he wanted Draco to suffer a little bit more. In fact, he wasn't even mad at him anymore. He was just going to let Draco know that he needed to take four cars back to the places where he had gotten them from. The blond would throw a tantrum but he would get over it. The act would humiliate Draco and teach him not to do it again.

Grinning, Harry went in search of his Trigonometry class.

~~~O~~~

Harry didn't understand. He just _couldn'_t understand. It was his first day in school, granted, it was also almost the end of the school year, the time for people to let some of their energy lose and do something with it, but this just didn't make sense.

He had been to three classes. Trigonometry, English, and History.

Trigonometry he could do without. It was math and he had always hated math. It wasn't one of his best subject and was the reason why he had avoided Arithmancy in Hogwarts. He didn't understand the whole thing with the number sequences or the formulas people used to solve the problems. All in all, it was to be expected.

English was okay. They were studying American Literature as juniors. He had never really heard of the authors or the books and poems they were reading, unless it had been in passing when he had talked to Hermione. The class was interesting to say the least.

History he could care less about. He loved the class when it was World History they studied, but if the class revolved around one specific country, it put him to sleep. American History put him to sleep just like Professor Binn's class had. He had tried but it hadn't worked as well as he had hoped. The teacher had given him detention for sleeping on his first day of school. He wasn't dreading detention. He'd had worse at Hogwarts. No school was going to send him off to an enchanted forest full of unknown magical creatures. He could handle detention.

However, it wasn't the classes that he didn't understand. It was the people around him. He had been through three classes and he had already gotten five invitations to the end of the year dance. He had turned down all five of the invitations, making it his mission to point out that he didn't even know them. The last girl hadn't seem to get it. So it was only natural that they didn't give up.

The fourth class went by unbearably slow. He didn't even know what class he was taking anymore. He didn't pay attention to the teacher. Didn't take a single note. Every time he had wanted to pay attention, he was distracted by a whisper.

"…..you heard what?"

"No. They are definitely new to Forks."

"They live in that big house...."

"The dad must be some kind of....."

"Wait. That's Harry Potter."

That last statement had caused a frenzy in the classroom. They just couldn't believe that Harry Potter was in the same school they were in. They wanted to know what he was doing there. What he wanted. Was he shooting a movie? Was his new album being recorded near by? Would he give them his autograph? Why did he go by another name?

The autograph was something everyone wanted. They had heard that he had never given one out and it was a coveted item.

Harry had overheard a bet from the back of the classroom. There were four guys and three girls who wanted to know to whom he would give his signature first. The prize: $50. The person who got the autograph first would get the $50 and the bragging rights. This made Harry bang his head on the desk, which attracted more attention to him. He knew Luna was looking at him funny, but he didn't care. By the end of Lunch, every one would know about the stupid bet. He was sure that there would be more who joined in. Not something he looked forward to. In fact, he decided he was going to skip Lunch. He didn't want to be in a room full of people who were likely to harass him just for a stupid piece of paper they wanted signed.

When the bell rang announcing the end of the fourth class, he was out of his seat before anyone could even reach him. Luna followed at a much slower pace.

~~~O~~~

Harry hid in the bathrooms until he was sure the hallways were clear. It was only then that he came out. He didn't know what to do with himself. He was hungry, but he wasn't going to the Cafeteria. There was no way in hell that was going to happen.

He should have known this was going to happen. It wasn't only in Britain that he was famous. It was here in America as well. He should have known people would know him. In fact, he should have given out autographs and approved of the merchandise before now. It would have made his life so much easier. There were some people who viewed him as rude for not doing so, but he had his reasons for it. Being a veteran of war didn't help the matter either.

Unconsciously, he wandered through the school. His attention was only brought back to the present world when he saw a room across from him with the words "Music Room" over the door. He walked toward it slowly and opened the door, making sure there was no one in the hallway.

Inside, Harry found different types of musical instruments sitting on their respectful stands. They were lined up neatly against one wall. A large whiteboard took up one side of the room, but it was empty. There didn't even seem to be markers with which to write on it. In fact, now that he was looking at the instruments closer, he could see that almost all of them were covered in dust. The only instrument that wasn't was a Casio PX-320. It wasn't a nice keyboard, in his opinion. We would have preferred a Roland or a Yamaha but he guessed this school wouldn't know much about musical instruments.

Ignoring the keyboard, Harry grabbed the guitar and sat down in what looked like the only chair in the room. He strummed the strings and frowned when he found them completely out of tune. It made him wonder just how long it had been since the instruments had been touched.

He picked at the strings for a moment, making sure they were okay, before strumming it once more and closing his eyes to focus. His fingers automatically found the places where they should go. Frowning once more, Harry opened his eyes and pulled his right hand away from the guitar. He waved his wand at the other guitar in the room. He didn't like using magic to control his music but without the rest of his band, he didn't really have an option.

Closing his eyes once more, Harry strummed the first chord and immersed himself in the song. His fingers automatically finding the chords on the guitar.

_Am I loud and clear, or am I breaking up?  
__Am I still your charm, or am I just bad luck?  
Are we getting closer, or are we just getting more lost? _

_I'll show you mine if you show me yours first  
Let's compare scars, I'll tell you whose is worse  
Let's unwrite these pages and replace them with our own words  
We live on front porches and swing life away,  
We get by just fine here on minimum wage  
If love is a labor I'll slave till the end,  
I won't cross these streets until you hold my hand_

Harry could feel tears gathering in his eyes. He didn't want them to fall but he knew it would be only a matter of time. He loved the song. Had written it as a sense of irony for all those who had left him. He didn't want to forget how he felt, even if they already had. He didn't regret anything that had happened, except, maybe showing them more of himself. Showing them that no matter what happened, he would never turn in to the monster they thought he would turn into.

_I've been here so long, I think that it's time to move  
The winter's so cold, summer's over too soon  
Let's pack our bags and settle down where palm trees grow  
I've got some friends, some that I hardly know  
But we've had some times, I wouldn't trade for the world  
We chase these days down with talks of the places that we will go _

_We live on front porches and swing life away,  
We get by just fine here on minimum wage  
If love is a labor I'll slave till the end,  
I won't cross these streets until you hold my hand....until you hold my hand _

But they weren't here to hold his hand anymore. They had abandoned him like everyone else had. And the friends he didn't even know he had, had turned out to be the ones who really _did_ care about him. Was life trying to prove something to him? Was she testing him to see just whom he would choose and who would choose him? Maybe, if life hadn't been so harsh with him to begin with, he _would_ be able to just swing life away. He would be able to make do with what he got and happily live with it. But it wasn't like that. It had never really been like that for him. He had always had something to do, something that would benefit the whole community.

_I'll show you mine if you show me yours first  
Let's compare scars, I'll tell you whose is worse  
Let's unwrite these pages and replace them with our own words _

_We live on front porches and swing life away,  
__We get by just fine here on minimum wage  
If love is a labor I'll slave till the end,  
I won't cross these streets until you hold my hand _

_Swing life away  
__Swing life away  
__Swing life away  
__Swing life away_

As soon as Harry had strum the last chord, he buried his face in his arm and sobbed quietly. It was a masochistic way of living. Harry knew it. But the truth of the matter was that it was all just in his head. There had never been a way to just "swing life away". The Wizarding world had always expected more of him. He had given them all he had and for what? So they could turn around and take everything he had. For months, he had thought there was no one who could just hold his hand and help him through his troubles.

Yes, Draco and Neville had existed, but they had been means of letting out what he had inside of him. They hadn't been friends to begin with. They had gone to the same school and Harry had never really given himself the chance to know them.

He guessed, he had never really known what he had until he had lost it all. He had never really known what could be taken away from him.

He felt a pair of arms wrap themselves around him and he sobbed harder. In the distance, he could hear the bell ring but it didn't matter. He had had enough of school for the moment. The memories wouldn't let him concentrate anyway.

"Harry are you okay?"

Harry recognized Edward's voice but he didn't look up. He guessed, they _had_ gotten lost after all. Those pages he sang about. They hadn't been able to rewrite them like they wanted to. All those memories were something he would always treasure and keep, no matter what they had done. They had been his friends and had shown him something no one else had bothered to show him. It didn't matter what they wanted to believe.

Lifting his head up. Harry wiped the tears running down his face. "Do you always take to listening to other people?"

Edward chuckled softly and pulled away from Harry. "You're one of two. I came looking for you when I saw your siblings at lunch and you missing. That song… Did you write it?"

Harry swallowed thickly and nodded once before getting up to put the guitar back where he had gotten it from. He wiped his hands on his pants and turned back to Edward, who was looking at him intently. "It's just wishful thinking."

"You sounded like you really meant it."

Again, Harry nodded. He didn't know what to say. Edward had just seen him at his most vulnerable. How was he supposed to react? "Some of the things. Others are just wishful thinking. Bloody things happen and all those thoughts just vanish into the air." He said the last part in a soft voice that gave Edward the impression that it pained Harry immensely to think about it.

"How so?"

Harry's eyes became distant. "I told you I have seen things no one else has seen. Things have happened to make people I love die. Others just left when they had what they wanted from me. I guess the song is just to point out the ironies of life. Thoughts, emotions, feelings. Everything in my life has been an irony. I don't think there has been something real until I moved here with my family."

The vampire could see that Harry didn't want to talk about it so he dropped the subject for the moment, but just for the moment. He _did_ want to know what had happened to make Harry so emotional over a song that had obviously been a happy one.

"I don't think you should go back to class. Go home, maybe. It should help you relax. I could get Carlisle to call in and say you went home sick," Edward offered softly.

The wizard nodded and grabbed his backpack from the floor. "Okay. I'll see you later." He was only too ready to leave the side of the creature that had comforted him.

Edward waved to him and returned to his musings. He knew Carlisle knew what had happened to Harry. There was no way they had spent so much time together and hadn't spoken about it. He just needed to word the question correctly so he could get some information. He just needed to know. He wanted to help Harry get over what had happened and information was his best bet. It would only be a matter of time.

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A/N: Thank you for the reads and reviews. Starting over now has **66** reviews, **81** favs, and **140** alerts.

The song is "Swing Life Away" by Rise Against.

Special thanks to: **HidingInACorner**, **Lientjuhh**, **Rista07** (Thank you for your review. I didn't feel sorry for them either.), **Yana5**, **SPEEDIE22**, **UnicornsandCentaurs**, **Mrs.** **Edward** **Cullen** **Potter**, **fifespice**, **sanityisgone**, **HufflePuff96**, **animaluvr123**, **DianaLynn0724**, **Tina109**.

T : The answers to your questions are here. Okay. So, the Ministry is still against Harry. They are just trying to punish those that helped Harry the most, but this was mostly because of McGonagall. Harry's supporters are going to come out little by little. Mostly, it's going to probably consist of people he already knows.

Thank you all for your reviews. Brownies for everyone.


	10. Fairy Tales and Castles

**Disclaimer: I do not own Harry Potter related things, Twilight Related things, or anything having to do with the songs. They belong to their respective owners.**

**Summary:** Harry reveals his biggest fan to his "biggest fan" and then meets Edward in the Music Room when he wanders the halls.

* * *

**Chapter X-Fairy Tales and Castles**

Harry Potter didn't like the cafeteria at Forks High. Not because it was small, but because everyone seemed to be looking at him, no matter what he did. All he had to do was move slightly and their eyes would follow him. He didn't like Draco and Neville at the moment. They had left him alone to fend for himself. Of course, it wasn't for something that wasn't worth it. They had a project due for one of their classes and they wanted to get it finished so they could focus on other things. Like, of course, Graduation. And then, Luna was no where to be found. In fact, he hadn't really seen her all day.

The Boy Who Lived just didn't understand why _they_ could graduate. All the papers they had stated they had studied at a school in Scotland. It didn't mean they were wrong, but everything they had learned had been different than what they were learning now. How could you relate Potions to something Muggles took?

Oh well. It didn't make sense, but this was Blake's idea.

Sighing, Harry didn't look up as yet another girl tried to get his attention. Again, Harry tried his best to ignore her, not that it would do anything to deter her.

"You're Harry Potter, aren't you?"

How many times had Harry heard that in the past two days? Every single person who talked to him started their sentences out with "You're Harry Potter". The question he wanted to ask them was, who _didn't_ know he was Harry Potter? Everyone in the school did, so why did they start their conversations off like that. It was like they were asking if he didn't know what his name was. It irritated him to no end.

Nodding, Harry motioned to the seat opposite of him. He could see students all around the cafeteria trying to listen in on what he had to say. It wasn't the first time and he would have thought the novelty had worn off already.

"You can't have my autograph. I won't go with you to the dance. I'm not shooting a movie nearby. The album won't be out for some time. A very long time. You absolutely _can't_ meet the rest of the band as they don't live anywhere nearby. Yes, I _do_ live in that big house. No, I _don't_ come from an orphanage neither do my siblings. No, none of us are related. I'm Blake's only son. I don't like the color pink, nor is my favorite color blue. Anything else you would like to know?" He didn't even look up from the English book on his lap as he stated all the answers.

"Someone asked you if you liked the color pink?"

Harry gave her a droll stare. He looked back down at his tray of food. Seriously, after all the answers, she hadn't come up with a better question. There had to be someone who could come up with a good topic of conversation.

He could sense the Cullens' eyes on him and couldn't help a smile from gracing his features. He hadn't really talked to them since _that_ weekend, but they made it quite clear that they were there for him. He didn't know whether Carlisle had told them what they had talked about. He didn't know if Edward had told them how he had found him. He just knew that they had made an unannounced decision pertaining to him and his siblings. They would look after them even if they didn't want them to.

Yes, Harry had finally started to think about them as his siblings. He understood where Blake had come from with the decision and he was thankful that someone was willing to call him his son. At least there was something he could look forward to. Even if he hadn't talked to Blake yet. Harry had avoided him, getting to the house and going straight to his room before Blake could stop him. He knew he was going to have to talk to Blake sooner or later. In fact, he was going to do so that afternoon. He just had to figure out what to say to him and how to say it.

He was Harry Evans. He finally understood that the name _didn't_ make him. He was still his father's son. It just so happened that he now had another name and another father. He had taken a look at the papers for the first time on Monday. They hadn't been adoption papers like the others had been.

A birth certificate, a social security number, and all the other papers that stated quite clearly that he was Blake's legitimate son. Everything he would ever need to pass off as Blake's.

The girl placed her hands on the table and grabbed at Harry's tray. "Did you know that I am your biggest fan? I know everything there is to know about you."

Harry raised his eyebrows at her. He honestly thought there was no one out there who could be a bigger fan than the girl who had given him the maps. This girl couldn't even come close to her. _She_ was his biggest fan.

"What's your name?"

She gave him a huge smile and reached for his hand. "It's Carrie. Lovely name, isn't it?"

Shaking his head, Harry pulled back his tray and picked up his fork. He studied it for a moment before he turned his attention back to her. "I don't like it. But that's just my opinion. Doesn't mean you have to take my word for it. What do you know about me?"

He could see the disappointment in her hazel eyes and wondered what it was that she wanted from him. It couldn't have been attention. Judging by how she acted, she already got enough attention from the people around her.

"Um… You're name is really Harry Potter. You're the vocalist for Magical Sound. Your band consists of three others. You used to live in London, but before that you went to a boarding school in Scotland. You don't have any siblings despite how much you would have wanted to have some. You're mother died in an accident that no one can explain. You have seen things no one else has seen. Some of those things, you sing about in your songs. I know all of your songs. I own all three albums." She was grinning broadly, as if she had just proven to him that she knew things others didn't know about him.

Harry put the fork down. "Okay. Get some things straight before you go about reciting everything you just said to me. My name _is_ Harry Evans. Harry Potter is the artist name I go by. Nothing more. _Everyone_ knows I used to live in London, just like _everyone _knows I used to go to a boarding school in Scotland. I do have siblings. They are the ones who usually sit with me, in case you haven't noticed them. They're actually pretty hard to miss. They would be the really loud and obnoxious ones. My mother died of natural causes. And yes the things I have seen are in my songs, but everyone already knows that but no, not all of the songs are mine. In fact, a large percentage aren't even sung by me. All the things you just told me, I could find them on the internet in a fan site. It's nothing new. So if you would please stop wasting my time, I would be eternally grateful."

He saw the look of hurt she had written on her face, but she didn't make to leave. Instead, she leaned forward and pursed her full lips. "Why are you being so rude?"

Shrugging, he met her eyes with his and let the full weight of his gaze fall on her. "Because I don't like people who say they know everything about me when in reality they know nothing. All the information you have is from internet sites you visit. The color of my hair, my hobbies, what I like to eat, and what I like to read. All those things are everywhere, but have you ever bothered to think about where the information came from? Did you bother to see if it was all true?" When he saw her freeze, he made a noise of disgust. "I didn't think so. In my whole career, I have given four interviews. I have never once mentioned my favorite color in them. Never once said I swung one way or another. Never once mentioned what my favorite food was. Half of the things the magazines published are made up."

"But I'm still your biggest fan."

He couldn't help it. He laughed. She still didn't understand what he had been saying. "How many concerts have you attended?"

She shook her head. "I haven't been to one, but I know where _you_ have been."

The brunette sat back into the chair. "Not a single concert. You have never attended one and yet you consider yourself my biggest fan. It doesn't matter if you know where I have been. They're called tour dates. Everyone following Magical Sound's career knows them. Tell me. Did you know that I have a fan who has attended every single one of my concerts? Every time I have a concert, I bring along a map of the country I am at. A map _she_ gave me at my first concert _in_ that country. At the end of the concert she is always invited backstage and she marks the locations. She is _the_ only person who has VIP passes to every single appearance. And no, she doesn't do it to get in my good graces. She does it because she loves the music. She is the reason why some of my songs have been given life. Sara _is_ my biggest fan. Next time you think of yourself in that position, think about this conversation. I don't think she would like it if she knew about you."

Harry stood up and picked up his tray, leaving behind one stunned girl and a cafeteria full of bewildered spectators.

~~~O~~~

Edward heard the conversation. He had thought it had started off innocent enough, but he had come to know that Harry had very delicate nerves. When something he didn't like came up, he got irritated easily. The fact that the girl had walked up to him to start a conversation off with an overused question was something that had apparently irritated him.

He heard Harry's way of answering the girl, it was all in the voice. But the girl didn't seem to want to give up on him. She thought she could impress Harry if she recited something she had learned about him. She had done as much research on him as was possible when she had first learned of him and his music. Now she wanted to show it off.

Emmett sniggered when he heard Harry's response to the girl's knowledge.

Alice giggled when she heard Harry tell Carrie of Sara, his biggest fan.

Edward just remained silent. He didn't want to hear of Sara. He didn't want to hear Carrie's thoughts of the other girl. He could hear Carrie think that if she ever saw this Sara girl she would kill her for taking all of Harry's admiration. _She_ wanted to be the biggest fan. _She_ wanted to be the one with the VIP passes to his shows.

Sighing, Edward poked at the food on his plate with his fork. He didn't watch as Harry left, but it was like he could suddenly feel his presence gone from the room. That and he could hear the outraged girl's thoughts.

_How dare he treat me like this? Doesn't he see that I would do anything to hang out with him? How can I convince him to see me as more than just a fan?_

Edward growled, startling a passing student. He felt Jasper's hand on his arm and then the waves of calm overtook him. He didn't know what was happening to him. It wasn't like him to be jealous of the girl when the object of her affections was a boy he hardly even knew. He had been possessive of Bella but that had only had to do with the fact that the monster inside of him had wanted her blood for himself. There had never really been any jealousy.

_Maybe you should get some fresh air, Edward._

The vampire nodded at Alice and left the cafeteria, not even bothering to throw away his trash.

~~~O~~~

Harry knew he was probably going to get another detention for skipping Gym class, but he honestly wasn't in the mood for the girls who just wanted to ogle him. _Really, didn't they have something much more productive to do?_

Again, he wandered the school. Except this time, he knew where he was going. He wanted some alone time with the guitar in the Music Room. It didn't compare to his baby but it would help him unwind. Since he and his band members had taken a break, he hadn't played much. He loved music, but he hadn't had time for anything other than trying to get away from all the paparazzi.

He could hear soft music coming from the other side of the door. It wasn't music from a recording. No, it was much more than that. It dawned on him that someone was playing the digital keyboard he had seen the last time he had been in there. It was probably why the instrument had been the only one that hadn't had any dust on it.

Opening the door quietly, he stepped inside and watched as the vampire in front of him played with a fluidity that Harry had rarely seen. He closed the door, not wanting people to explore where the music was coming from.

Harry picked up the guitar and listened for a moment to figure out the key and the notes, before tuning the guitar quietly and joining in before Edward was finished, adding in his own melody. The last chord resonated throughout the room. A perfect synchronizing of sound that bounced off the walls and came back to them in less time than they had played it.

Edward opened his eyes and looked intently at Harry. "Do you always take to listening to other people?" He repeated the words Harry had told him the day he had found him crying. He didn't want to hurt the boy. It was the last thing he wanted, but he didn't know how to react anymore. The boy made him act differently. So much more that he seemed to be a different person when they talked.

He saw the look Harry gave him and watched as he put the guitar down on the stand. "Why are you following me?"

Snorting, Harry turned to him. "I wasn't following you, Cullen. Not even in your dreams. I was wandering the school. Gym isn't something I want to experience right now." He shuddered at the thought. "Too many people in that class. Too many people and too many questions." Harry took a deep breath. He didn't want to hear Edward say something he would regret later, so he grabbed his backpack from the ground and made to leave. "I'm sorry for interrupting. I know what it is like to escape through what we create. I'll see you around."

Before he could even open the door, Edward had his arm around his waist and was pulling him away. "Please, don't leave. I was only…." He didn't even know what he had been doing. He had just wanted to push Harry away from him for a moment. Test the weird thing they had. It couldn't even be classified as friendship. They had probably spoken three times since they had met. And yet, he was feeling jealousy. What was happening to them? Could it have something to do with him being a vampire and Harry a wizard? He really hoped not. He didn't want to feel attracted to someone because of what they were. He had learned his lesson with Bella.

"Okay, Cullen. Can you let me go now?"

If Edward could have blushed, he would have done so at that moment. He had forgotten he was still holding the human.

Harry pulled away and dropped his bag once more. "So, I presume the piano at your house is yours."

Nodding, Edward headed back to the keyboard and touched the keys. "Yeah, you could say that. Haven't really played right for a while now. Today was the first time. Like you, things happen that make us want to escape."

"Things like what, Cullen?"

"It's Edward. I don't like being called by my last name."

Harry nodded an affirmative and sat down in the chair while Edward ran his hands over the keys as if trying to decide which ones to hit and which ones would follow. Harry didn't miss the fact that the vampire had completely ignored his question. "How long have you been playing?"

Edward look up at the question. "Almost my whole life. You?"

Laughing, Harry ran a hand through his already messy hair. "Only a few months. Carlisle was surprised I had only been playing for so little. But I guess music just comes to me."

"What about your magic?"

"What about it?"

"Don't you use your magic to enhance your playing ability."

Harry should have been offended, but he wasn't. He could hear the sincerity in Edward's voice. The vampire really did want to know if he used it or not. And for some inane and obscure reason, Harry wanted to answer him.

Shaking his head, "No not really. The instruments I have learned have been through pure talent. I don't like manipulating anything to get what I want. I do however, infuse some of my magic into the songs just to let it escape. It may mess with the sound if it's used with the instruments, but when I let it escape into the air, it creates a whole different atmosphere. It's the main reason why I have a band. Why _we_ formed a band. Music sounds different if people play it. The first album was practically written before I joined them. There was only one song I wrote for that one, though I did take over the position of lead vocalist. However, at the moment it seems pretty unlikely that we will ever get back together."

"Why?"'

"We had our misunderstandings. They wanted more of something and I wanted less. It was more like I couldn't give them what they wanted. But I will talk to them eventually. We have to bring out the next album, if only to please the audiences. Afterward, I don't know what will happen. I just hope they don't turn against me like almost everyone is prone to do."

Edward didn't know what to say to that. He had just learned something about Harry. He was sure the brunette hadn't thought about what he had been saying. He probably didn't even remember saying it. His voice had been thoughtful, probably thinking back to when he had had his "differences" with the rest of his group.

"You said instruments. How many do you play?"

It took Harry a moment to register the new question asked. His thoughts had still been on his band members. He really did wonder if he would see them again. They hadn't been the best of friends at the end but they had been companions in a similar career. He hadn't been the one who had caused the problem. It had been his second voice. It didn't matter how hard he had tried, it hadn't worked out. If he had just given in to his demands, he would have them today and they would be working on the new album.

"I play several. I started out with the violin. Neville taught me how to play it. But it got to the point where I was better than him. I taught myself how to play the piano, of course, after I learned how to play the guitar. The saxophone is one of my favorites. But I still prefer the guitar." He motioned toward the instrument on the stand. "You?"

Taking a deep breath, Edward played the funeral march before answering the question. He was sure Harry was going to tease him about it. "Just the one."

Sure enough, an amused light entered Harry's eyes. "How old are you?"

"Seventeen."

Harry huffed at the answer, rolling his eyes in the process. "How _long_ have you been seventeen?"

Smiling, Edward started to absently play a soft song. "Almost a century."

This time, Harry laughed outright. He couldn't believe Edward was more than a hundred years old and he had only learned to play one instrument. It took him a while to compose himself enough to talk again. "Variety. I love your way of life." Sarcasm dripped from every word he spoke, but Edward knew there was nothing malicious behind the action.

"Stop mocking me, Harry. I am faithful to my music. I am faithful to my piano. I haven't needed to learn a new instrument."

Harry did stopped laughing. "Hasn't another instrument caught your attention. I mean, playing the piano must get boring after a while."

Shaking his head, Edward thought of the last thing he had written. Bella's lullaby. He didn't know why he had composed the piece. It could have been because he wanted his monster to be appeased. Maybe it hadn't been for Bella at all and only for him. Because he had known that one day he would end up killing her.

"I could teach you how to play guitar, or any of the other instruments I know. It wouldn't be that hard, especially since you are a vampire. I'm sure you could pick it up really quick." He didn't know why he was offering. But something inside of him wanted to see Edward smile again. He wanted to know that something he had done or said had made him happy. It wasn't a nice thought, but he didn't care. At least, this time the mistake could be his and no one else's.

Frowning, Edward nodded slowly. "You could come over today…"

Harry was thoughtful for a moment. When he spoke he grabbed his bag and started to dig around inside of it. "Not today. I have to head over to Seattle. I need to get to the studio and give them the single I was supposed to. This was supposed to be in their hands a few days ago and I forgot about it." He found the CD and showed it to Edward, who grabbed it and lifted his eyebrow. "It's not the whole thing. I would need the others to record the other songs. That's just something we recorded a while back. It never made it through the cuts because there was really no place to put it. It didn't fit in with the other songs we already had. But I was hoping that if I showed them the single first, they could arrange all the other songs around it, or just use it period."

He took the CD back from Edward and with his other hand, waved his wand. He didn't turn to see Edward's reaction. Instead, he just opened the CD player he had summoned from his room and put the CD inside.

"Tell me what you think."

Edward nodded. What else could he do? It wasn't like Harry had really given him a choice in the matter.

Harry pushed the play button and stood back to grab the guitar.

_He says he looks in the mirror  
__And he can't tell anymore  
Who he really is and who they believe him to be  
And he says he walks a thin line  
Between what is and what could be  
And he's getting closer  
To something he can't understand _

_Cause there's a crack in his plastic crown  
And his throne of ice is melting  
He climbed his ladder  
There was nothing there  
Now it's a long way down _

_Cause on and on and on he goes  
__Dancing on the grave  
Of what he thought was still alive  
And on and on and on he goes  
Dancing in mansions made of twigs  
And castles made of sand _

_He says his head is filled with  
Cartoons and fairy tales  
And he's trapped inside a dungeon of dolls  
With smiles on their faces  
He's built a pretty cage  
His show's on a beautiful stage  
With candy coated prison bars  
And chains that look like jewelry _

_Cause there's a crack in his plastic crown  
And his throne of ice is melting  
He climbed his ladder  
There was nothing there  
Now it's a long way down _

_Cause on and on and on he goes  
Dancing on the grave  
Of what he thought was still alive  
And on and on and on he goes  
Dancing in mansions made of twigs  
And castles made of sand _

_Cause he lives inside  
Of fairy tales and castles now  
And there's room inside  
For false expectations and illusions _

_There's a crack in his plastic crown  
And his throne of ice is melting  
He climbed his ladder  
There was nothing there  
Now it's a long way down  
It's a long way down _

_On and on and on he goes  
Dancing on the grave  
__Of what he thought was still alive  
Hey on and on and on he goes  
Dancing in mansions made twigs  
And castles made of sand _

_Cause on and on and on he goes  
Dancing on the grave  
Of what he thought was still alive  
And on and on and on he goes  
Dancing in mansions made of twigs  
And castles made of sand _

_Cause on and on and on he goes  
Dancing on the grave  
(on and on and on he goes) of what he thought was still alive  
And on and on and on he goes  
Dancing in mansions made of twigs  
And castles made of sand_

He looked expectedly at Edward who smiled. "I like it, but it's not your voice, is it?"

Smiling, Harry shook his head. Amazing how Edward had picked up on it and it took most people time to recognize the differences. But then, it could have been because he was a vampire. "Of course not. Zach was the one who sang it. He wrote it and I thought it only fair. He wanted to tell the story of the Boy Who Lived without so much as saying the name of the person. It was a controversial song back in Britain and they didn't want to endorse it knowing that there would be repercussions in the end, but I'm hoping it will get a better reaction here. Maybe this will solve the problems the others had back in Britain."

Edward was about to answer to that when the bell rang. He watched as Harry hurriedly grabbed the CD, put it back in the case, and stuffed it in his backpack. He smiled softly at Edward and hurried out of the classroom. It seemed like he really was in a hurry. But it didn't stop the vampire from wondering who The Boy Who Lived was.

* * *

**A/N:** Thank you everyone who reviewed Chapter IX. This story now has **77** reviews, **83** favs, and **149** alerts.

The song is "Fairy Tales and Castles" by Lifehouse.

People who reviewed, I am eternally grateful: **HufflePuff96**, **roberthal1**, **SPEEDIE22**, **maggi22211**, **UnicornsandCentaurs**, **tashtash0**, **DianaLynn0724**, **Mrs**. **Edward** **Cullen** **Potter**, **sanityisgone**, **animaluvr123**.

**Rista07**: Thank you for your review.

I have been posting almost every day, but unfortunately, I am in the process of moving for college and there may be some time before the next chapter is out. However, the next two chapters are guaranteed.


	11. Lessons and Kisses

**Disclaimer**: **I do not own anything Harry Potter or Twilight related. Nothing having to do with the songs is mine. They all belong to their respective owners.**

**Summary:** While Harry progresses in his relationship with Edward, Draco's relationship with Neville goes downhill.

* * *

**Chapter XI - Lessons and Kisses**

Harry stopped the Lotus Europa S in the Cullen driveway. He pulled off his dark sunglasses and put them on the dashboard of the car. He had actually used them that day. Actually _needed_ them. The sun had been out almost the whole day, but the mere joy of it had been shadowed by the Cullen's lack of presence at the school. According to the other students, they went camping when the sun was out. Harry could understand why they couldn't go to school when the sun was out, but it hadn't really helped his bad mood. _That_, he couldn't understand at all. Why would his mood be affected by the fact that the Cullen family hadn't gone to school?

No, he hadn't gone to their house so he could check up on them. It was the last thing he wanted them to think. Even if it _was_ slightly true. He was there for a whole different reason.

For the last week, every two days, Harry had been giving Edward lessons. He had been teaching him how to play the guitar and enjoyed doing so. Yet another thing he couldn't understand. Though, at the moment, Harry was convinced that Edward pretended not to understand what he taught him. Pretended that nothing stuck to him. He wasn't subtle about it either. Anyone could see that the vampire could play any instrument he wanted to without even having to think about it.

The last time Harry had been there, Edward had missed rhythms, timings, notes, and fingerings. He had often asked what one note was or what the fingering to it was. He checked with Harry often to see if he was doing it right, which irritated the hell out of him. Harry knew that Edward couldn't be so forgetful. If he knew how to play the piano then he could play the guitar with no problem. He could write music so he had to be able to play it. It wasn't much harder to play the guitar than it was to play the piano. And with Edward's long fingers, he could easily reach the frets he needed. No, it didn't irritate him as much as he wanted to believe it did. He just didn't want Edward to believe that he was so stupid that he couldn't see through the charade he was trying to put up. If Edward wanted him to hand around more often, why didn't he just say so?

Harry hadn't even reached the front steps when Alice threw open the door. She pointed toward the stairs. "He's in his room practicing." She gave him a cheeky smile that said she knew something he didn't and ran toward the forest. probably after her husband.

The brunette vaguely registered her eye color before he walked into the large house.

There was no one home. Like Alice, they had probably gone out to hunt.

Shrugging, Harry made his way up the stairs toward Edward's room. Other than that weekend he had spent at the house, he had never really been in Edward's room. When he had been in there, he hadn't paid much attention to his belongings. But wasn't so much the things that he wanted to see as the vampire there. He wanted to know if Edward really _was_ practicing or if he was playing just for the heck of it.

Granted, Harry didn't know how he would react if he found Edward playing but he was going to find out.

~O~

Edward's head was bowed over the guitar. He had his eyes closed as he played the instrument that actually belonged to Harry. The boy had let him borrow it since he didn't want to buy one just so he could learn to play. He could, but this way, he had the added bonus that at least he knew Harry had to return for the instrument. He was sitting on the leather couch, his legs crossed even though he didn't need the comfort.

He remembered the last time he had gotten a lesson from Harry and smiled despite himself. He liked seeing Harry so ruffled and thought it was because usually Harry was really composed around those he didn't know. If Harry could release some of his emotions with him, then he was getting to trust him.

The vampire had purposely missed everything he could have thought of missing. He didn't want Harry to know that he could play the guitar like a professional. The student couldn't surpass the teacher, in his mind and if he did, well then what would be the point of luring Harry out to his home?

Expertly, Edward switched from Beethoven's Für Elise to Bella's Lullaby. He had transposed the piece the last time his teacher had given him a lesson. In his opinion, he liked the piece better on the Piano but had to admit that it sounded good on the guitar. It wasn't a wonder why Harry liked the instrument so much. The sound was beautiful.

He wasn't even halfway through the piece when he heard the door open and close. His head snapped up and in his shock, he dropped the dark blue guitar. His eyes widened as he finally spoke directing the question at the object of his thoughts. "What are you doing here?"

Shrugging, Harry pursed his lips now knowing what his reaction should have been. On one hand, he was mad that Edward could play so well and on the other, he was euphoric with the sound that had been coming from _his_ guitar. "I came to give you your next lesson but it would seem you don't need it. Either, you really practiced in the last two days or you tried to trick me into believing that you didn't know how to play it."

Edward took a deep breath and looked at Harry steadily. "Would you believe me if I told you that you were a great teacher?"

Harry snorted and waved toward the wall absently. "I don't think I will. You however, need to stop lying to me. I had an idea that you were doing this for something. I just don't know why you would pretend to not know how to play." He reached to pick up the guitar from the floor and then, very gently, he turned out over and over to check if it had been scratched when it had been dropped, which really made no sense since he had carved his initials into the back of the guitar. He set the guitar against the side of the couch.

"I honestly didn't know how to play before you started to teach me."

"You expect me to believe that after all this."

Edward grabbed Harry's arm. He didn't make to get off the couch. Instead, he looked at Harry directly and shook his head. "I didn't know. I wasn't lying then."

Nodding, Harry pulled on his arm. "Fine, Cullen." He didn't know why he was mad. He didn't know why it bothered him so much that Edward had learned to play without his assistance. He guessed anger had won out in the end because the euphoria he had been feeling earlier was completely gone. Maybe because he had been looking forward to this. This had been something he had wanted to do. Now, he didn't know why he was there anymore. "Can you let go of me, Edward?"

Shaking his head, Edward gave Harry's arm a tug. "If I let you go, you'll probably run out of here as fast as you can." And he was right. The only way Harry knew how to deal with things was by running away. He had done so with his ex-friends. He had done so with his band. With his old life. And now he wanted to do it again. Could he get any more pathetic? Something complicated his life and he suddenly thought the idea of Mexico as appealing. What was wrong with him?

"Harry, please. Just for once, think about it. Why does this have to stop? I mean, you told me you knew several instruments. You could teach them to me. And no, I don't know how to play them." When Harry didn't even so much as look at him, he tugged harder on his arm. In fact, he didn't realize just how hard he had done it until Harry ended up in his arms.

They both froze, but somewhere in the back of his mind, Edward noticed how good Harry felt. How good he smelled. He saw the green emerald eyes watch him intently, as if expecting, no challenging, him to do more. But he couldn't bring himself to move. He didn't want to ruin the moment. What moment? He didn't even know what he was doing. This wasn't something he had felt before. Bella had been well enough, but Harry was something different. What was going on between them? This was so different from what had happened with her.

Leaning his head down slightly, Edward opened his lips.

Harry swallowed as he saw Edward approach him. What were they doing? They didn't even really know each other.

"Please, Harry."

Nodding, Harry pushed at Edward's chest and stood when the vampire pulled away. "Fine. But you have to tell me when you have learned it all. There is no point in me coming here if you already know what I'm going to teach you."

Edward agreed. "By the way, how did the single go? Did the producer like it?"

Beaming, Harry turned to him and in his excitement sat down next to Edward. "They loved it. The producer said he was going to talk to the others at the studio just to get their opinion on the song. He just needs the rest of the band so we can start the recording as soon as possible. The songs have to have the same emotion as 'Fairy Tales and Castles' but I think if I can convince Zach, the rest of them will do it. I don't even know if we can keep all the songs with the same emotion but this whole thing changes as we record. Who knows, maybe I'll step down and let Zach do the whole album. It would be different to watch someone else in the lime light. An experience I would like to have."

The vampire liked the way Harry spoke of his music. It was as if he became a whole different person when he did so. "When are you going to talk to the others?"

"I…I don't know yet. I would have to leave America to talk to them in person. Zach needs to hear it in person, at least, and he lives in Scotland. The others I could just call though I could visit them in London even though I would prefer if I didn't have to. They understand more than anyone else what this means. We never thought were would get this far and it would be a milestone in our careers. This would ensure that we got heard not only in the magical community but outside of it too."

Edward took Harry's hand. "When you decide to talk to them, it will all work out. I'm sure that not even Zach would pass up this opportunity."

Harry took a deep breath and let it out slowly. He didn't even notice that Edward's hands were still on his. He was far off in his thoughts. Trying to come up with a way to talk to Zach, his second voice.

~O~

"Malfoy, I knew you were short, I just didn't know how short you were." Neville sniggered at the insult. He had just wanted to tell Draco that dinner was ready, but he hadn't been able to pass off the opportunity to make fun of the blonde. He didn't know when he would get another chance and had to take all the ones he was given.

Draco turned around indignantly with the picture he had been holding still in his hand. "What was that, Longbottom? Did you say something?" He placed his hand to his ear as if could hear him better that way.

Neville shrugged and sat down on Draco's bed grinning at the blond's childish behavior. He watched as the blond went back to what he had been doing. He had to admit, from where he was sitting, the view really was a good one. Draco's shirt was riding up as he tried to hang the picture. The action revealed a small amount of pale skin. His jeans rode low in his hips, something that made Neville think of things he didn't want to think about.

He knew he was attracted to Draco. I was probably the reason why he picked on the blond so much. He just didn't know how to tell Draco. Hell, he didn't even know if Draco could look at him like that. He didn't blame him if he couldn't. Neville _had_ gone out with Harry and Harry _was_ Draco's best friend. Maybe the blond would think him off limits because of it.

"You know, you could do it magically."

Draco snorted and looked over his shoulder at him. "Really, Longbottom, I hadn't thought of that. Thank you for telling me. Why the hell do you think I'm up here? I don't do this for shits and giggles." He pulled back slightly and studied his picture for the moment before frowning and chewing his bottom lip. Shaking his head, he grabbed the picture and moved it. "Magic can be traced. By now, the whole Wizarding world knows that we are all missing. Even if Potter thought they wouldn't look for us together, there is still the possibility they will. I don't want to take the risk. Harry's been happy since we got here. Yes, all the attention is getting him annoyed, but at least he has someone he can talk to about it." Again, he studied the picture. Satisfied with it, he got down from the chair and grabbed another one from his desk.

Moving the chair over, he got up again and tried to hang it.

"Why do you say he has someone to talk to?"

Draco looked at him with a you-got-to-be-kidding-me expression. "Have you not noticed all the time he spends with Cullen? I admit I don't like them. They're vampires, but if it makes Harry happy than by all means let him talk to them. He flicked the picture and swore when a spike of pain went through his finger. He glared at the picture and moved it slightly to the left. "He has that excuse of teaching him, but I really think he wants to go over there because he feels he can talk to him. It's just the way Harry works."

Nodding, Neville got up and grabbed the stack of pictures, portraits, and paintings from the desk. "If you really say so."

"Yes, I do. Really, Longbottom. Where do you live that you haven't seen these things before now?"

Neville shrugged even though he knew Draco wasn't looking at him or that he didn't mean it. Before he could stop himself, he spoke. "I was admiring someone from afar."

Two things happened then.

Draco dropped the picture he had been holding making the glass break. Then he turned around so fast the chair toppled over and he fell.

Neville dropped the things he had been holding and grabbed Draco around the waist before he could fall and hurt himself on the glass from the picture frame. He felt the shudder that went through Draco and met his grey stormy eyes, wanting the blond to repeat that little shudder. The world seemed to stop for a moment as Neville decided whether he should kiss Draco or not. He didn't want to make the wrong choice and ruin something that could be very good for the both of them. The decision was taken from him when the blond released a sigh and buried his face in Neville's chest.

Reaching down, Neville lifted Draco's chin and pressed his lips against his.

Draco had never tasted anything like it. It was ambrosia. He had never been kissed like Neville was doing so at that precise moment. His world tipped over and he clung to the other's shirt as he responded to the kiss. He pressed himself against the other and moaned deep in his throat. That's when he remembered what Neville had said earlier. He remembered the reason why he had ended up in Neville's arms to begin with.

He pushed Neville away from him and slapped him. "Next time you want to play around with someone, find that person you were admiring. Tell them what you think of them and fuck them if necessary. But leave me alone." Before the tears that were gathering could spill, he ran from the room, not wanting to make more of an embarrassment of himself. He stopped only to get his keys from the small, hallway table where he had left them earlier and headed straight for the garage. Some part of him wanted Neville to stop him as he sped out of the driveway, but the other part of him wanted Neville to stay as far away from him as possible.

~O~

Neville honestly didn't know what had happened. One moment, he was enjoying the kiss he had been sharing with Draco, and the next he was being pushed away roughly and then being slapped. He had thought Draco had been enjoying it as well.

Not knowing how to react, he hadn't gone after Draco when he heard the car speed out of the driveway. In fact, it wasn't until much later that he even left the room. He had picked up every single shard of crystal so Draco wouldn't get hurt when he walked barefooted across the carpet. He had put away the things he had dropped and even put the chair back where it had come from.

He had been taking a shower when he remembered what he had told Draco before he had fallen. He suddenly understood why the blond had slapped him even though he had clearly meant what had transpired between them. He had meant every action and the blond had misunderstood his intentions.

Blake knocked on his door minutes later. He smiled softly at Neville when he opened and pointed to Draco's room. "Do you know where he is? All three of them seem to be missing."

Neville had to congratulate the man. He was truly acting like a father towards them. He made sure where they were at all times and he kept them in line at school. He had cancelled two appearances Harry had had because of the two detentions he had gotten. Of course, it had only made Harry happy because he hadn't wanted to do them to begin with. Especially since he didn't even have his band to support him through it. So it hadn't really been a punishment, but is still spoke volumes of the man.

"I think Luna went to Port Angeles with several girls from school. Harry's at the Cullens' place. He won't be back until later tonight. Said he was having dinner over there when he called." Neville took a deep breath. "I don't know where Draco went."

Blake frowned as Neville said Draco's name. It was the first he had heard the young man say the name of the other. They always called each other by their surnames. What had happened between them to make Neville act this way? Had they fought? Argued? Told each other the truth?

"Blake, can we speak." Neville motioned toward his room. "I really need someone to talk to right now."

~O~

Harry was laughing at Emmett. The vampire had just lost the game to his brother. It was funny to see them at it. Concentrating and throwing expletives at each other as the other started winning. And then the wrestling that would ensue after the loss.

Edward nodded toward Rosalie, who was watching Harry like a hawk. The stare unnerved the brunette and he shifted uncomfortably. Finally, unable to take it any longer, he got up and went into the kitchen where Carlisle and Esme were preparing dinner for him. He grabbed a slice of caramel coated apple and bit into it.

"Why does Rosalie hate me so much?"

Carlisle smiled at him and shook his head. "She doesn't hate you. She just doesn't trust you yet. It was the same way with Bella." He went quiet for a moment, glancing at his wife as if he had just said something that was forbidden. Who was Bella and what did she have to do with the Cullens? Harry had heard people talk about her several times at school, but he still didn't know and found it interesting that the Cullen's knew her. "Things have happened to her that make her not trust so easily."

Knowing all too well what that was like, Harry nodded and popped the rest of the apple into his mouth. He reached to take another one and caught the look Esme was giving him. He pulled back his hand and looked around as if he hadn't been about to do what she thought.

She smiled warmly at him and motioned toward the counter. "Sit down and eat. The food is ready."

Harry grinned and sat down. His mouth watered as he smelled what Esme put in front of him. He grabbed his spoon and started on it when he heard the little squeak from the living room. He didn't pay much attention to it until Alice hurried into the kitchen with Edward right behind her.

"Harry, your brother is in a really bad state. He's coming here. I don't know what happened to him. But he's crying."

The brunette froze as he heard those word from Alice. The first thing that went through his mind was that the Ministry had found them, but that didn't make sense.

Who was coming?

He took Alice's hand and nodded toward the door. "Who's coming? Is it Draco or Neville? Please, you have to tell me." But she was lost in another vision already. He turned to Edward. "Who was she talking about?"

"Draco. He's pretty messed up."

Harry didn't wait for Edward to finish. He rushed toward the door and ran down the steps just as Draco's Opel pulled into the driveway. He threw the door open and stumbled out of it. As soon as he spotted Harry he fell to his knees and Harry couldn't do anything but hold and try to calm Draco down. He didn't know what had happened, but he was sure this didn't have to do with the Ministry. This probably had to do with the way he felt about Neville. He had never seen Draco so inconsolable. He had always been the one to say that he wouldn't cry for a man. He would get his life together and keep on living. But Harry guessed that was before he had truly fallen in love.

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**A/N:** This is officially the longest work I have ever stuck to. I feel accomplished. Thank you all for your reviews.

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	12. Rosalie's Advice

**Disclaimer: I do not own anything Harry Potter or Twilight related.**

Summary: Rosalie has a talk with Harry that makes him think about certain aspects of his relationship with Edward.

I sorry for taking so long to update. But I was trying to get settled down over here. It's taken me days to finish this one chapter. Hope you like it.

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**Chapter XII - Rosalie's Advice**

"Hermione, don't you think you should stop and think about this decision of yours. Seriously, there are things we have to talk about." Ron hurried after his girlfriend. He caught a book she threw in his direction and put it down, only to pursue her once more. He really _did_ want to talk to her. There were things that needed to be said. Her decision was too rash, in his opinion. It wasn't like her not to think things through.

"No, Ronald. You can stay here in Britain if you want to. I'm not stopping you. I'm, however, going to go through with this. I have given everything I had to the Ministry since I started working for them. Everything, Ron. It's not fair that they just threw me out like this. After everything I gave them." There was a hint of hysteria in her voice. "Why? Because I once made the mistake of keeping an eye on Harry James Potter, the Fucking Boy Who Lived. Well you know what? Screw the Ministry. I _will_ get my job back, even if I have to go to hell and back." There was a gleam in her eyes that hadn't been there before she had gotten fired. It hadn't been there before the whole thing with Harry. It scared Ron, more than her words did.

Ron frowned. The Hermione in front of him wasn't the same one from a few days ago.

This Hermione was obsessed and he was afraid she was going to do something extremely stupid. What if she got hurt? She wasn't the type to do that, but what the Ministry had done to them had been taken hard. He could only hope she stopped herself before some one else did it for her.

"You don't have to come if you don't want to," she repeated. "But I would really appreciate it if my fiancé agreed with what I was doing." Her mood had changed drastically again. The gleam in her eyes had dulled. In fact, she was smiling like she had often done during their Hogwarts years.

Slowly, Ron nodded. He took the things she held in her hands and placed them in the suitcase she had in the middle of the spacious bedroom. "I may not agree, but I will go with you. You do know, however, that the Ministry's stand will just get stronger with this?"

Hermione's grin broadened. She grabbed more clothes and threw them in Ron's direction. She _did_ care about what they thought. In fact, she _wanted_ them to think that they had gone off to join Harry Potter. It would make their fall harder if they did. When she proved she had nothing to do with Potter, they would all regret ever crossing her. With time they would _all_ regret it. Every single one of them.

~O~

Harry slowly made his way down the stairs. He knew that the whole Cullen family was waiting downstairs to hear news of Draco. He couldn't blame them for it. They had all seen Draco break down, inconsolable. He had cried for hours, or at least until his tears had run out and he hadn't been able to cry anymore. Then, and only then, had Emmett approached and offered to take him inside. As soon as he had held Draco, the blond had clung to him like a lifeline. They didn't understand why. He had then taken Draco up to Edward's room, because it was the only room that didn't belong to a mated vampire, even though there were other unoccupied rooms.

Edward didn't argue with the unspoken decision. He didn't want to argue with it. He was just happy he could help Harry's friend out in his time of need. During Draco's hysterical moment, he had gotten thoughts so fast and hard, he would have passed out if he hadn't been a vampire. It was like the barrier around the blonde's mind had collapsed as soon as he had stumbled out of the car.

I hadn't been a happy experience.

Edward glanced up from where he was talking to Jasper. "Is he alright now?" He knew the blond was. He was still gleaning information from him. Just like he knew that Jasper was having a hard time with all the emotions coming off of him. But he was trying to be polite.

Harry nodded. He didn't know what had happened to Draco. He had some idea, but Draco hadn't given him any information. He had done nothing but cried the whole time. It broke Harry's heart to see his friend so distraught. He couldn't stand it. He needed to find out what had happened, even if it meant confronting one of his friends.

"He should be better when he wakes up. Hopefully, he will tell me what happened."

Edward looked away, as if he already knew what had happened, and it piqued Harry's curiosity. "What do you know, Cullen?"

Taking a deep breath, Edward met Harry's gaze. "I don't think it's in my position to tell you. Draco should be the one to do so after what happened. Knowing him, he wouldn't want me to anyway."

Silence overtook the room as Harry approached the vampire slowly. "Okay, _Edward_." He emphasized the vampire's name as if it were the most disgusting swear word and it cut Edward in a way no other thing had done before. "Alice can see possible futures. Jasper is an empath. What are you exactly? What's your special talent? Because someone like you _must_ have a special talent."

Edward's heart fluttered at Harry's nearness. This close up, he could smell the wizard's soft scent. His breath brushing against his acute senses. It did things to him that nothing else had done before. He liked to think that Harry thought him special enough to have a skill that he excelled at. Special enough to be of some importance. "I don't know what you mean."

Huffing, Harry walked to the other side of the room. "I see the way you look at me. It's as if you were trying to figure something else. And it's not only me. It's my whole family. Like you can't see through something. Like we were somehow blocking-" He wheeled around and narrowed his eyes at Edward. "You can read minds, can't you?" He walked back to the vampire and, to the amusement of everyone present, he poked him. "You can read minds and _we_ are blocking you out." He went quiet before he spoke again in a thoughtful manner. "Huh, I should have thought your interest in my family was superficial. I mean, why would you all take an interest in us? Of course, it's to keep an eye on us. To see if we would harm you." He walked out of the room without another word and up the stairs once more. He didn't want to think that the Cullens had just taken an interest in them because they felt threatened. It would have been easier if they had just ignored them.

He glanced at Draco.

His friend was sleeping peacefully. Tear stains down his cheeks. Draco would kill him when he saw that he hadn't gotten rid of them. Smiling softly, he ran a hand through the soft blond hair and pulled out his phone.

It rang once before Blake picked up on the other side. "Harry, are you okay? Neville told me you were coming back tonight. But it's almost morning and you're still out."

Sighing, he answered softly, not wanting to wake up Draco. "Blake, I'm not going home tonight. Something came up with Draco. He was a mess when he appeared over here. We just got him settle down and sleep. Do you know anything about that?"

There was silence from the other side. Harry knew Blake was deciding whether to tell him or not. He had morals and he thought Draco should be the one to tell him about what happened. "Look, Harry. Maybe you should talk to Draco about it. Neville's beating himself up pretty badly. Where are you? I could send him over to talk to him."

"No, Blake. If this has to do with the two of them, then you have to give Draco time to talk about it. I haven't seen him like this before. Neville needs to stay away for a while. I'll call you when I think it's time, but in the mean time, as soon as Draco wakes up, I think we will leave the Cullen home. I don't want to be a burden to them anymore."

"Anymore? Harry, what did they do?"

"It's nothing, really. I just think we shouldn't give them any more problems then they already have."

"Okay, Harry. Just let me know how things are going."

"Okay." He hung up and jumped a foot in the air when he turned around to find Rosalie standing in the doorway. Her face was blank, but Harry could see the chaotic emotions in her eyes. She wanted to say something, but didn't know how to say it. "Can I help you?"

She snapped out of it and walked into the room, closing the door behind her. "Could you do that thing so we can't be overheard?"

Nodding, Harry pulled out his wand and waved it. He didn't say anything, he didn't have to. All he had to do was manipulate his magic and it would do what he told it to do. "Okay, now what?"

At that moment, Rosalie did a very human gesture he had never seen her do before around him. She sighed, then she sat down next to Draco. As soon as she did this, she glanced at the blond and blinked slowly. "He really does like you."

Harry was confused. What were they talking about? Were they talking about Draco or about something else altogether?

"I thought Bella would be the one he was going to pick. But it turned out to be nothing more than a mere interest for him. Like a hobby. He didn't really love her. He just wanted to do something more than just sit around and wait for time to pass. She was the first real human who didn't run from him when she found out about him."

Now Harry understood. Rosalie was talking about Edward. However, the mere fact that Edward had used a girl to get rid of boredom didn't sit well with him. What was the vampire's problem? "What happened to her?"

Rosalie shrugged. "The last we heard of her, she was with her mom. When you saw us at the airport, we had just gotten back from a confrontation with another vampire. Edward tried to keep the vampire away from Bella but that didn't work. It turned out bad for her. She was almost turned. Almost killed. When Edward gave her the choice, she readily chose her mother over her father. Not because she wanted to get away from Edward, but because she understood that she wasn't going to be safe anywhere near us. I never liked her."

Frowning, Harry pulled a chair toward the bed and sat down in front of her. "Why? Weren't you happy Edward had found someone to spend his time with?"

"Like I said, Edward didn't love her. She was someone interesting. An object he could use for his amusement. Nothing more. I didn't understand why a girl like her could spend her time with a bunch of vampires, especially after she found out about us. From the way she acted around Edward, I saw that she would want to become one of us soon. It angered me. She could have had any number of guys and married them to start a family but she wanted to be with a vampire. I didn't understand why she would choose something like that over something as precious as a life. I still don't understand. I would give anything to have a child of my own."

She took a deep breath before continuing, even though she didn't really need it. "Then you appeared and I thought it was the same thing. I thought you were just another human Edward had taken an interest in."

"Gee, thanks."

Rosalie gave him a confused look. "You have to understand that I would never have told you any of this if I didn't know what I know. If I didn't think what I think. There is nothing in this universe that would have convinced me to tell Isabella Swan what I'm telling you if she had been the second one to interest Edward. She didn't inspire the same trust you do."

Harry sighed and ran a hand through his hair. He closed his eyes. "Why _are _you telling me this? Edward had a lover. She loved him and he didn't love her. So what? I mean, I just figured out that you guys just took an interest in my family because you felt threatened. It's not something I want to think about, but it's the way my life works. I learn to deal with things and move on. I didn't hold it against the people back in Britain and I wouldn't have held it against you and your family."

Her head snapped up at the mention of his friends. "You were betrayed?"

"Carlisle didn't tell you?"

She shook her head. "If there is one thing Carlisle is good at, it's keeping secrets. He won't reveal them if he isn't given the authority by the person who spoke to him."

"Not even to Edward?"

Smiling, Rosalie shook her head. "Carlisle knows how to keep his secrets secret."

Harry nodded and plunged into his story. He wanted her to trust him and that meant giving her his life story. Though he wasn't sure why he wanted her to trust him. It wasn't really all that terrible. He just despised talking about himself. Everyone else did it enough for him.

~O~

When he was done, Rosalie glanced at the blond on the bed. He hadn't moved from the place where Emmett had set him when he had been put on the bed. "He was your friend after everything you two went through?"

Harry nodded. "I didn't know Draco would become such a close friend. After everything we had gone through. It seem impossible, but I like to think that this is what I missed out on all those years we fought against each other. It just makes the friendship all the better. If I would have only taken his hand on the train everything would have been different. Who knows, maybe I would have ended up fighting for the Dark Lord and not against. But then, maybe I would have turned Draco against the Dark Lord before everything happened to him. We could have started this friendship so many years ago. It's the only thing I regret from those years. I have great memories of the others, even if they did just end up betraying me."

Rosalie took his hand. "Harry, that's something we have in common. I don't want to get into it in much detail because it still hurts to think about it, but I was betrayed by a person I thought I knew. A person I trusted and cared about. He's the reason why I'm like this. But," she smiled softly at him. "it's in the past."

He felt a lump in his throat and tried to swallow past it, but couldn't, which rendered his voice useless for a few seconds. "You started talking about Edward at first. What does he have to do with all of this? I mean-"

The vampire cut him off and smiled at him once more. "Ask him about it. Just don't take too long in doing so. He needs someone like you in his life. It's not true that he took an interest in you just because you could have posed a threat against him, or because you could take his boredom away. You're much more than that. He wants it to be much more than that. Look at what happened with Swan. The relationship was destructive both ways, but he went with it. Just think about it. I have to get back to Emmett. Who knows just how much trouble he's getting into with Jasper. Those two are worse than five-year-olds." She left before Harry could ask her anything else, leaving a confused Harry behind.

~O~

Harry sat outside, underneath a tall tree. He didn't notice the dripping water that fell on him. He didn't notice anything around him. So far, he had managed to avoid Edward, but it wouldn't be long before the vampire found him and tried to talk to him.

He really didn't know why he was trying to avoid him. He just had to think about what Rosalie had told him and he would just get the feeling that he had to avoid the vampire. It was confusing to say the least. He had slept very little during the past few hours. The moments he hadn't been watching Draco, he had spent sleeping, but they had been few. Edward and his attitude had invaded his thoughts.

Arghh! This was all _her_ fault.

What had she meant? Was there something he was missing? He was almost certain he was missing something important. He just didn't know what it was yet.

He heard a soft rustle of clothing from his left. He held his breath, wishing that it was anyone else but Edward Cullen. He didn't want to talk to him yet. True to his hopes, it was actually Draco. He sat down next to him, but didn't say a single word to him.

Harry guessed it was because of what had happened. The blond was probably ashamed of himself.

Taking one long look at the blond, Harry held his breath. Draco looked horrible. His grey eyes were red and puffy. His blond hair was mussed and looked like he hadn't taken a shower or a bath in a long time. The clothes he wore were rumpled. Something he wouldn't have let happen if it had been another occasion.

"Dray, are you okay?"

Draco took a deep breath and shook his head. He brought his knees up to his chin and closed his eyes. "I don't know anymore. I don't know what is going on. At one point, I thought I had a chance with him, but I don't think it will ever happen anymore. I don't even know _how_ it happened. One moment we were fighting and arguing and then next I was feeling for him things I had never felt for someone else."

Placing his hand on his friend's arm, he shook his head. He was trying to understand his friend's words. "Draco, what are you talking about?"

The blond gave a dry sob and buried his face in his knees. "Neville. I'm talking about Neville. I thought I could have something with him. I know I just truly met him, but we seemed to have a connection. I…I thought…..Oh god….I don't even know what I thought. It just seemed like something I could have for once. Something pure with nothing that could ruin it. I love his personality. His way of acting. The way he talks. The way be carries himself. He has so much strength. I never really paid attention to him when he was in school, but it was probably because he wasn't famous or wasn't in Slytherin. I never really got to know him." He lifted his head and Harry could see that he was crying again. His voice held an emotion that Harry could only call love. "I know that if we would have been friends back then, maybe we could have started something. I _know_ we would have started something. Something that not even the Dark Lord could ruin." He laughed sadly and looked directly at him. "But he met you. And he _still_ hasn't forgotten you."

Harry's eyes widened with surprise. "Draco, I don't think-"

"No, Harry. Neville still cares about you. Do you know what he told me last night? Of course you don't. You weren't there. He told me he was 'admiring someone from afar'. You're the only one he really ever had a relationship with. Why else would he come to America? Why else would he leave behind that apprenticeship that he worked so hard to acquire."

"Dray, no. Neville doesn't like me in that way anymore. You have to trust me when I say that. I know for sure. Neville forgave me for walking out on him. No one who hasn't gotten over someone would do that. Draco, you have to talk to him. At least to clear this misunderstanding up. Neville likes you more than you think. He looks at you in a way that I have never seen before." No that wasn't true. He _had_ seen it before. It was in Edward's gaze every time the vampire looked at him. It had the same, if not twice, the intensity that Neville's gaze had when he looked at Draco.

Harry's mind was racing.

Neville liked, no he loved, Draco.

Edward had the same look about him.

Oh god.

That's what Edward felt toward him. No wonder Rosalie had said all those things. She thought she had met her brother's mate.

"I'll leave after Graduation. I won't leave before because it would look odd, but afterward, I'm free to do as I want. Until then, can you tell Blake that I'm going to stay somewhere else?"

That last thing brought Harry out of his thoughts. "What are you talking about? Blake isn't going to let you stay at another house when you could easily just stay at ours. Draco. Please, talk to Neville." He swallowed hard before wrapping his arms around the blond. "I don't want you to leave. I may be acting selfish, but too many people have left and I won't be able to stand it if you do too. You have been my best friend since the moment we started to get to know each other. You're more than just a best friend. You're my brother now. Please."

Draco remained quiet. He didn't know what to say. He didn't want to stay in the same house as Neville. He didn't want to be in the same country as the other. How was he supposed to do what Harry asked him?

"I can't stay after, Harry. I have to leave."

"At least talk to him."

He took a deep breath. "I'll think about it. But I can't guarantee anything." He wiped the tears from his eyes and turned in to Harry's warmth.

"Thank you, Draco."

"But you have to promise to talk to Edward."

"Excuse me?"

Draco laughed quietly. He didn't understand Harry sometimes. The teen was so insightful when it came to other people, but when it came to his own self, he didn't have a clue how to go about his life. He didn't have a clue how to run his own life. How to fix what was broken. "You have to tell him that you really like him. And not as a friend either. Harry," he sat up and looked at his friend. "you deserve to be happy and I think Edward can give you that happiness. You haven't been your usual gloomy self since we arrived here. In fact, you changed completely when you started to give Edward lessons. When you started to hang out with him."

Sighing, Harry shook his head. He didn't know how he felt toward Edward. Even though it was a surprise that the vampire could feel so strongly about him when they had just met. But what if Draco and Rosalie were right? What if they really _were_ meant to be together? What if this was their destiny? Maybe Edward had needed to go through his relationship with Bella so he could understand what it would be like to really love another person. Maybe Harry had needed to go through the betrayal of his friends so he could end up in America at the same time Edward arrived from saving his ex.

"I don't know about that Draco. We'll see how it goes, okay."

Draco nodded and buried himself against Harry despite the fact that Harry was soaking wet. "If you don't do it, I'll make you, Potter."

Harry grinned and pulled Draco tighter against him. It wasn't long before he heard Draco's soft snores, despite the cold rain wetting them.

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A/N: Thank you. That was the 12th chapter of "Starting Over". Thanks for waiting so long for the Chapter. I'm barely getting settled in over here but things are working out. And I have been working during my spare time on it, so I really hope you like it.

This story now has **117** reviews, **128** faves, and **192** alerts.

Thanks to the people who reviewed: **Arieru-chan, silverdragondray, fifespice, winky73, HufflePuff96, McMllnchrstn, CaitlynMario, Mrs. Edward Cullen Potter, DianaLynn0724, animaluvr123, CHEEKY-HERMONIE, beauty0102, tashtash0, Kain129, cagna, choccream24.**

**Rista07**: He will. Maybe in the next chapter.

Again, I'm sorry for taking so long to update.


	13. Graduation and Surprises

**Disclaimer: I do not own anything Harry Potter or Twilight related.**

**Summary:** Harry and Blake concoct a plan to get Neville and Draco together.

I really don't have anything against graduation, having recently gone through it. But this is from my own experience.

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**Chapter XIII - Graduation and Surprises**

Graduation.

Harry couldn't have thought of a more boring way to introduce seniors to the "real world". It was like a punishment for people who finally made it through their school years. He didn't understand the whole concept of it. Of course, he hadn't even sat through Graduation at Hogwarts since he had never really finished his schooling. But he was somehow sure that Graduation there would entitle something that was more fun than sitting and listening to person after person recount things from their past four years. He didn't understand why people had to go through the whole process to finally feel fulfilled.

Harry sat through it, because Blake had told him to. The man had gone off on him and told him he had to show some support for his "brothers".

To Harry's surprise, Draco ended up being one of the top students of his class. Of course, it shouldn't have come as a surprise, especially since Draco had always done great at Hogwarts. And then, there was the fact that the class was very small in comparison to other classes at other schools.

At the end of the ceremony, Blake invited everyone out to his home to the "graduation party" he was going to give Draco and Neville. He wanted everyone to celebrate the "happy" occasion.

Just another thing Harry hadn't needed. He hadn't needed all the attention he had been getting at the party. It did surprise him that no one had told reporters that the famous Harry Potter was in Forks. Now, it was nearing the end of the party and everyone was still around the house. It wasn't like they didn't have something else to do. It was almost one in the morning but they all wanted to see the Evans family interact with other people. They were surprised that the Cullen family had been invited but they soon figured out that both Esme and Blake had arranged the party for the graduates. Another surprise for everyone. They hadn't expected to find that the two reclusive families had joined together in what looked to be a friendship. A friendship that they both valued.

Harry groaned as he saw Draco maneuver himself away from Neville before the other saw him. He had been doing it the whole night. Avoiding the places where Neville was. Avoiding every single topic that had to do with Neville Evans. He hadn't been able to make Draco talk to Neville in the last couple of weeks. But then, Draco hadn't been able to make him talk to Edward at all, either, so he guessed they were even. It had to stop, though. They both knew it, but neither of them had the courage to go up to the others and tell them exactly what they needed to say to them.

Blake suddenly appeared next to Harry and grinned broadly before making a notion toward Draco and Neville. "Don't you think we should give them a little push in the right direction?"

Frowning, Harry lifted one eyebrow at Blake and shook his head. "Do you really want to get in their business?" _He_ did, but if Blake wanted to also, then it would make it all the better.

"Hey, they've been at it for weeks. This fight needs to be resolved. As the father, I think they should get over their problems. Now, what shall we do about them? I'm thinking about sticking them in a room together until they talk it out." He waggled his eyebrows and it told Harry that Blake wasn't thinking about talking as much as another action.

Sighing, Harry put his glass of punch down and looked at Blake with a look of disgust on his face. "I swear, you're worse than a hormonal teenager." But he was right. More right than he had ever been. The only way to get the two together long enough to talk was if they were locked up in a room with no way of getting out. And Harry knew just which room he was going to lock them up in.

Now, all he had to do was get them to go up there. Hopefully, they wouldn't catch on to what he and Blake were doing before they got a chance to talk. Or, at least he wasn't going to tell Draco about it. Neville would be fine with the plan. It would give him a chance at explaining himself, but Draco would never go along with it.

"Fine, I'll take Draco, or rather make him go up to the room. Point Neville up to your study. Tell him if you must."

"Why my study?"

"Because they need to talk and the only way they aren't going to disapparate out of a room is if it's warded. So point Neville up to your study."

Blake grunted and frowned at his adoptive son. "You know what? As the father, _I_ should be the one telling _you_ what to do."

Harry grinned. "But you won't, will you?"

Shaking his head, Blake watched as Harry headed toward Draco, who was talking quietly with a pair of guys from the school. Out of the corner of his eye, he could see Neville watching the blond as he laughed and talked. But he couldn't gather the courage to talk to him anymore than the blond could.

~O~

Harry grabbed Draco's elbow and pulled him away from his other Senior friends. The blond lifted his eyebrow at him, but Harry shook his head and didn't talk to him until they were away from the noise of music and people talking. "Draco, I'm really going to miss you when you leave. I don't think I could ever have asked for a better friend. You were there when I needed you and now I want to return the favor. I have a present for you upstairs. Actually, it's from Blake and I. But I want to take full credit for it. It's in the study. Pretty big so I can't really move it on my own. Go find it. I'll follow in a few minutes."

Draco had been speechless and was _left_ speechless when Harry suddenly moved away to act like his little heart to heart hadn't happened.

Frowning, the blond went in search of that present Harry had told him about.

~O~

Neville was startled when Blake tapped him on the shoulder. He had been watching Draco intently. Had been doing it all night. He had seen him being pulled aside by Harry and then the way they had talked. No, Harry had talked. Draco had just stood there while Harry went on and on. If it wasn't because Blake had suddenly gotten his attention, he would have gone after Draco. He needed to talk to him. He had just not gotten the opportunity to do so yet.

"What is it?"

"Follow, Draco. Harry's going to lock you in so he won't get away."

He nodded and got up from the chair. "Where is he going?"

Blake grinned broadly and motioned up the stairs. "To my study. And, Nev?"

Neville turned to look at him. He could see the emotions in Blake's eyes. Blake wanted them to work things out. Not because they would solve many family problems, but because he _really_ wanted them to get together. He wanted them to have what he had once had with his wife. He wanted to see them happy.

"Yeah?" "Tell him everything. Don't let him guess. Just tell him everything as it is and as it was. Draco deserves that and so much more."

He nodded and hurried for the stair case. He saw Harry follow him and smiled. If this worked out, he was going to be forever grateful to both Harry and Blake. There wasn't going to be any way he was going to be able to pay them back for their work. But he would try because he would have Draco by his side.

~O~

Edward didn't like the way Draco had left. He didn't like the way Harry followed Neville, who was following Draco. He knew what had happened between Neville and Draco. The blond loved the other wizard but the other wizard seemed to love someone else. And for some reason, the fact that Harry was following Neville didn't sit well with him. He didn't want him to follow anyone but-"

The vampire shook his head. What was he thinking? Neville was his friend. No, he hadn't always been his friend. He had heard from Draco's mind that the two had once been in a relationship. Maybe they still felt something for each other. Maybe that was why Harry was following him. No. Harry was doing something for his friend. He wasn't following Neville because he wanted to stop him from talking to Draco. He had to keep thinking that. It was either that or he was going to go mad thinking otherwise.

Blake took the cup from the vampire's hand and motioned toward the stairs. "Harry's helping them out." He was slightly surprised that the vampire had let him take the cup away. It might have been for show, but the vampire seemed highly possessive of the things he thought of as his. "I want you to go up and talk to him."

Edward looked at him with a confused look. "You would like me to talk to Draco? Or Neville?"

"Neither. I want you to talk to Harry."

"I don't understand."

Blake sighed and led him outside. He didn't want anyone to listen in on them. He went around the black Mercedes and toward the back of the house. "I don't know what you feel for Harry. I don't know what your intentions are. But I do know that since that day that Draco and Neville fought, Harry hasn't been the same. He has reverted back to his old self. When we were in Britain, he used to be quiet; less enthusiastic about life. He was antisocial. Didn't want to be friends with people who just wanted to be around him for his fame. It wasn't until we moved here that he changed. I saw the light in his eyes change. Something that only happened when he was with his band members. When they were recording or thinking of new ideas for songs. It had something to do with you.

"Then he started to give you 'lessons' and the that light would rarely leave his eyes. You changed him. I don't know what you did but I don't want him to go back to his old self. I like this new Harry."

Edward nodded. He liked this Harry too. No. Oh god, no. He didn't like this Harry. He loved him. Loved him like he had never loved anyone else before. That is why he was jealous of Neville and what he and Harry had once had. It was the reason why he hadn't liked how he had seen Draco so cuddled up next to Harry that afternoon. How the hell had this happened?

This wasn't the same thing he had felt with Bella. He had known that from the start. Harry's blood didn't urge him to kill him like Bella's had. All Harry had to do was stand next to him and he would get different urges. Urges that he had never had before. He like the way the young man smelled. Like the way he talked. He liked his emerald green eyes and that smile that brightened his whole face up. So many factors. Why hadn't he noticed it before?

Blake waved back to the house. "Go find him. Knowing him, he'll probably be trying to listen in on Draco and Neville's conversation."

Edward swallowed and nodded. He didn't want to leave the man like this, but he needed to talk to Harry. At least to tell him not to be mad at him.

~O~

Draco frowned when he entered the room. The study was empty. There was no present for him there, or at least not one he could easily see. And what was it Harry had told him? That the present was too big for him to carry or move. Well, if it was that heavy, wouldn't it be big too?

The door opened behind him and he spoke thinking it was Harry. "What's the present, Potter? I don't see anything."

"I don't know what that present could be. But maybe Harry wanted it to be metaphorical? He has this weird thing about him. Sometimes speaking in riddles."

Blinking, Draco wheeled around and found Neville so close to him that they were almost touching. He moved backward, his eyes going wide when he saw that Neville was making his way toward him. He hadn't even taken three steps when he hit the desk. "What are you doing in here?"

Shrugging, the taller wizard made a grab at Draco. He held the blond close to him as he spoke quietly, the soft light of the desk lamp illuminating his eyes with a dull shine. "We need to talk, Draco."

Draco shivered as his name left the other man's mouth. He loved the way it sounded. "I don't think we have much to talk about."

"No Draco, we have _a lot _to talk about. A lot to put to rights. But the first thing you should know is that I don't love Harry anymore. I never really did. We had a relationship but it was more of a friendship. I _did_ like him more than I liked others," Neville brushed his mouth against the blond's hair. "but it has nothing on what I feel for you. Please, you have to believe me. When I said I was watching someone from afar, I meant I was watching you. I have been for almost the same amount of time we have been here. These past couple of weeks have been unbearable. Not being able to see you; to talk to you. You're a drug. You're voice is addictive. I have to hear it in order to feel like everything is going right in my life."

Draco didn't want to believe it. It seemed too easy. Yes, he would give everything to have Neville, but what if Harry had put him up to it? What if he really didn't like him? Oh god, he would die if Neville played him like this. "Why did you leave Britain?" He struggled against his hold until Neville let him go. "Why did you leave everything you made for yourself?"

Neville ran a hand through his hair and walked away from the blond. "I was fed up with everything. I took the apprenticeship only so I wouldn't feel useless. I needed to do something with myself or I would go mad. I lost everything to the war. The only family I knew was my grandmother and even she hated me after the war. She sort of blamed me for what happened with my parents. When I got back to England, I found out what the Ministry had done to Harry. It had gotten worst. Harry hadn't heard anything about it and I didn't tell him in order not to distress him anymore than he already was, but things had gotten worse." He saw the look of confusion on Draco's eyes and had to remember that Draco hadn't really lived in the Wizarding world anymore. Like Harry, he had almost left it completely.

"The Ministry had started to question people who had once had any kind of relationship with Harry. I heard that people were suddenly losing their jobs. They were losing their homes and belongings. I talked to Lee Jordan. He had lost a very good job just because he had once been a friend of Harry Potter. I came for many reasons. One of them being that I didn't want Harry to venture alone with everything that was going on. Another was the reason I gave him when we were in his flat. It has been the most perfect decision I have ever made." He smiled softly and turned to Draco. His heart broke when he saw him sobbing. He didn't like to see him cry.

"I met you and I fell so hard I still don't believe it. At first all I wanted to do was make you mad because I loved that light you got in your eyes when you argued with me. Then it started progressing and it got to the point where I couldn't seem to go a day without seeing you laugh." Once more, he pulled Draco into his arms and pushed the hair out of his face. "I love you, Draco Malfoy. I love you more than anything else in this world. And if this goes on more than it already has, I won't be able to handle it any more. Don't cry." He lifted the blonde's chin up and looked held his gaze. "Just answer me one question. If you answer negative, then I will never bother you again. I'll leave you alone. I'll even go as far away from you as possible."

Draco shook his head violently. He wrapped his arms around Neville and buried his face in his chest. "I don't want you to leave. I don't want you to go far away. Please. I……I-"

"You what?"

"I love you, Neville."

It was all he needed. He pulled Draco closer and took the blonde's mouth with his. He moaned at the taste of Draco and couldn't help the surge of joy that filled him. He had never been happier in his life.

~O~

"You know it's rude to listen in on another person's conversation."

Harry cursed and glanced over his shoulder at Edward. "What do you want?"

Edward smiled and motioned toward the direction of an open door. "I think we should do the same thing _they_ are doing in there."

Harry's eyes widened. He knew there had been a double meaning to what the vampire had told him. He just didn't know which meaning the vampire meant. They could do what his friends were doing, but who knew what Draco and Neville were doing behind the closed door? He could tell they had been talking, but what were they doing at that moment?

"I don't think so."

Edward grabbed Harry's arm before the human could walk away from him. "Why are you avoiding me? Did I do something that made you upset with me?"

"Edward, please let me go. I-" Before he could even finish the sentence. Edward had put his hand over his mouth and was listening intently. "Blake just let down his barrier. He wants you downstairs. Something is happening."

Harry's heart pounded. He took off down the hall with Edward right behind him. He hadn't even made it to the bottom of the stairs when his cellphone rang twice. It shut off before he could answer it but the name on the screen read "Blake."

"Get you family. I want everyone out of the house in case this is something having to do with the Ministry." He was mildly surprised when Edward readily obeyed and went in search of his family. He ran down the stairs and froze when he saw two very familiar cars he hadn't seen in a while. He just couldn't place where he had seen the cars. Both cars were parked on the grass and toward the back of the house, as if someone was trying to hide them

Luna was already with Blake when he arrived where Blake was waiting. She glanced at Harry and motioned toward the trees. "Blake is sure there is someone in there." She waved her wand as a shadow pulled away from the trees. "He was waiting for you to go look."

Blake made a face at her. "Really, Luna. I never said such a thing."

She grinned and prodded him on the side. "You didn't make a move to go in there either. Either you were scared or you wanted Harry to go in there."

Harry ignored their bickering. He could hear the cars in the driveway starting to pull away and was glad the Cullens had made such quick work out of the situation. He didn't want to make a move until everyone was safe. But he really doubted it was the Ministry. The Ministry would never have taken this long to make their presence known to them. They liked to make an entrance. They would have done it so everyone would see them, not sneak around in the dark behind his house.

Blake cleared his throat. "I really think you should come out of the trees. Harry isn't a patient person."

"Really." Luna shook her head. "Harry, I really think you should teach our _dad_ how to handle situations like this."

It was a surprise to see Luna so animated, but upon closer inspection, Harry noticed that her cheeks were slightly flushed. Her voice was only a tiny bit slurred but the indication was there. She was drunk. He didn't know where she had gotten the alcohol, especially since Blake had refused to have any at the party, but she seemed to have gotten her hands on it.

There was a rustle from the forest and Harry narrowed his eyes. He remembered where he had seen the cars before. There was a reason why they seemed so familiar to him. "Okay. Nick, get out of that forest. This is seriously getting annoying and you know how I hate annoying situations. Come here. Stop scaring people."

Two shadows stepped away from the forest and made their way toward Harry, who was smiling softly at them.

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A/N: Thank you everyone for reading "Starting Over."

Special thanks to: **PhoenixBlaze8, Arieru-chan, silverdragondray, SPEEDIE22, CHEEKY-HERMONIE, Mrs. Edward Cullen Potter, Christina-Marie-35, cagna, twilight-h.p.-maxride4ever, Orhen Shiy, Overuse of Emoticons, Flying Chrissy **for reviewing.

**Rista07**: Thank you.

**hmm**: Thanks for the reivew, even though things are explained as the story progresses.

Cookies for everyone who reviewed.

This story now has **131** reviews, **136** faves, and **200** alerts.


	14. Friends, Plans, Revenge

I've had this chapter done for a couple of days. I'm sorry for not updating, but, for some reason, the server wouldn't allow it. Oh, I tried and I think I succeeded. There should be a poll on my profile page. If you could alll please vote. It's the only way I can make something out of Luna. Otherwise, I'll be lost. Thanks.

**Disclaimer: I don't anything associated with Harry Potter or Twilight.**

**Summary:** The plan to bring Harry Potter down starts.

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**Chapter XIV- Friends, Plans, Revenge**

Nick stepped away from the trees and toward the group of people. He grinned broadly at Harry before speaking up. "My, my, Harry. How intuitive of you. How come you're never shown this skill of yours?"

Harry shook his head at him and grinned back. "I've always been intuitive. You've just never noticed until now. You haven't been graced with it." He accepted the hug that Nick was offering him and returned it with enthusiasm. "What are you doing here?" He had never really thought he would be this excited over Nick. Though, not as much for them as for his friends finally meeting those he had spent so much time with. Here were the people who had helped him achieve everything he had wanted to achieve, as well as what he hadn't wanted to achieve.

Shrugging, Nick turned toward Blake and nodded once in a curtly manner. "How are you, Blake? Long time no see. Sorry for walking out on you guys like that." He waggled his eyebrows, ruining his apology.

Blake lifted his eyebrow at him. "That's what you say. If it hadn't been for you walking out, we would see each other much more." He couldn't help the smile that graced his features as he answered the other man. "Of course, we've been so much the better without you. Things seem to go smoother when there isn't someone messing them up."

Nick huffed. "Yeah, whatever you say, old man. If it hadn't been for me, you wouldn't be here. If fact, if it hadn't been for me, you wouldn't be-" He caught the look that Blake gave him and immediately shut up.

"No, I think that was all Harry, Nick. Don't take responsibility where you don't have any." A voice behind him stated calmly.

Harry's eyes widened when he saw the other man. A blond this time. "Leslie, you came too?" He shook the man's hand and caught the unspoken sarcasm.

The blond rolled his eyes at Harry and motioned toward Nick. "You called us and we agreed with you. We want to hear more of this 'record deal' you got us." With just that last sentence, Harry could see that by "we" he meant Nick and he had just tagged along because he hadn't had anything better to do.

There was a small noise behing him and, for the first time, Harry noticed that Edward and the others had joined them. He couldn't see the vampire's face in the dark, but he didn't like the way he was standing so still. There was a menacing air about him. Like he wanted to do something that he knew Harry wouldn't agree with. Like there was something he didn't like. He just couldn't put his finger on it.

He guessed it was time to introduce everyone to everyone else. It would only be a matter of time before they all knew each other. In a town like Forks, no one could hide from anyone. "Everyone, this is Nickolahs and Leslie. Nick, Les, this is everyone else." He watched the brunette lift his eyebrow at him. "What? Oh, okay. Fine. Have it your way. Nick, Les, meet my family." He pointed to each one of the members of his family as he said their names. "My sister Luna, my brothers Neville and Draco, and my father Blake." He saw the way Nick looked at him when he said the last bit. "I will explain later, when there is more time." He motioned toward the vampires as he said their names. "The family friends. Carlisle Cullen and his wife Esme. Emmett Cullen and his wife Rosalie. Jasper Hale and his wife Alice. And Carlisle's youngest son Edward Cullen…" For a moment, Harry found it odd that he couldn't add something else to the vampire's name. Like: _This is Edward Cullen my….my what?_

_What do I want Edward to be? Do I want to add my name to end of his? Be the name that get pair with his?_

Nick smirked at Harry's sudden silence and glanced at the vampire. While he hadn't studied the same things as Harry, he had been taught the different species and races of the world. He could recognize them as he saw them. And the one in front of him was most definitely a vampire. There was no doubt in his mind. What he didn't know was what exactly he wanted with Harry. It was obvious that the vampire didn't like the comradeship that Harry was showing toward him. His stance said it all. The look in his eyes threatened him to get closed to him.

He didn't want to ask, but he knew that he was going to eventually. It wasn't in his nature to just let something like this slide by. He didn't just sit back to see how someone interacted. He asked questions. He asked questions and, many times, he got answers. He just had to find the right time to bring up the subject. A time when Harry was slightly vulnerable.

"Now, about that record deal…"

Harry shook his head and motioned toward the house. "We talk inside. But answer a question first. Why the hell were you sneaking around like that? You two have to count your luck that is was Blake who found you and didn't decide to curse you. If it had been anyone else in this home, you two would probably be dead."

Leslie shrugged. "It was Nick's idea." His way of saying that he didn't want any part in the blame being cast around.

Nick gasped and pointed to himself. "Me? What did I do?"

Harry rolled his eyes. "Come on. We'll talk about it inside."

Edward frowned at the way Harry talked to them. He didn't hold anything back. He didn't choose his words like he had done on many occasions when he was talking to other people. In fact, it seemed like the two humans were in on Harry's secret. And if they weren't then they didn't find it odd that Harry was telling them that Blake could have cursed them. He was sure that these two were band members but that didn't mean that they would know what had gone on with Harry.

_He_ didn't even really know what had once happened in Harry's life. He could only guess even though they had become closer during that time that they had been practicing together. He knew Rosalie and Carlisle had both spoken to him, but they hadn't divulged any information. Every time they came close to him, they would start thinking about something completely different so he wouldn't hear their thoughts. The most memorable of those distractions had been the Tellitubby song. The damn song had been stuck in his head the whole day.

They all followed Harry inside. It was only then that Carlisle announced that he and Esme were going to take their leave. He didn't want to intrude on what seemed like a reunion and would rather leave them to catch up with one another. And with their departure, Edward had to leave as well.

He didn't want to. But it would be wrong if he remained and his sire left. What kind of excuse could he give Harry then? He would have to tell Harry what he wanted to talk about and he didn't want everyone else to hear it. _He_ didn't even know what he was going to tell Harry. The words weren't easy to find and would only be made harder with other people present for the talk. It didn't sit well with him that he could make a complete fool of himself in front of two strangers.

Harry didn't want Edward to leave, but he wasn't going to admit that to him or to anyone else. It had been obvious, what Edward had wanted to tell him earlier. For that, he could curse Blake, Nick, and Leslie. Their timing had been so inopportune. If they had only waited a few minutes more. Of course, he could also curse Blake because he was sure that _he_ had been the one to tell the vampire to go talk to him.

He shook his head roughly and took the vampire's hand.

One by one, all the Cullens left until only Edward remained. He had driven his Volvo so he didn't have to wait on anyone else. "I'll talk to you later, Harry. I meant what I said earlier. We really do need to do so. There are some things that need to be sorted out."

Harry nodded dumbly. "I'll stop by tomorrow. You're lessons are still on hold. You want to learn and I will teach you."

Edward grinned. "I had forgotten about them." No, he hadn't. He had missed Harry's presence. He had missed they way they talked to each other. They way he acted. He had missed everything about him.

The brunette smiled softly and released the vampire's hand. "Same time. Same place." He didn't know what else to do. He was aware of Nick's eyes on him and he knew that if the man got the chance, he would ask about the exchange. He really wanted to know what Edward had to say to him, but at the same time, he was scared of what it could mean for his life. He didn't think he was ready to start a relationship with a being who thought he was his mate. It seemed like it would be something that would contain a dominant and a submissive. He didn't want to submit to anyone anymore. Because he was sure that Edward wouldn't let him dominate in the relationship. Though, he had to admit that he was slightly attracted by the idea of submitting to Edward. No, never slightly. It was so much more.

Nodding, Edward gave them all a small bow of his head and left with a smile directed at Harry.

He wasn't even to his car when Nick grinned from ear to ear. "Harry! Who was that and what is he to you?" He glanced at Blake and received a condescending look for his antics. When he glanced at Harry, he saw the blush that was spreading down his cheeks and tainting his slim neck. "Oh, come on, Harry. You're going to tell me, right?"

Leslie hit Nick upside the head and, with a last glare, turned to the wizard. "Harry, there's something else you need to know." He waited until Harry had given him his full attention before continuing. "Nick told Zach about all this." He glanced at his friend, who was making motions at him to shut up. "He came with us here to America."

"You know, we were only sneaking around because we didn't know whether you really lived here. You never seemed like the kind to throw a party. We just wanted to make sure that it was really you?" Nick said quickly, trying to divert the conversation from Zach.

Harry felt his heart stop at this little bit of information. He had thought that he was going to have to go Zach. Knowing that Zach had come all this way to make his job easier was something that spoke well for their predicament. "Where is he? Why didn't he come with you guys?" He ignored the switch in topic, opting to hear of the first one. He couldn't blame Nick. He and Zach hadn't departed on the best of terms.

Nick shoved Leslie off the couch and stretched out on it. He didn't move when the young man stood up and glared at him. "He said that if you wanted him back, you had to talk to him face to face," he said, deciding that he would tell the truth now that Leslie had let it slip. "He doesn't want to beg for his job back. But, between the two of us, I think what he really wants is for you to humiliate yourself at his feet. You know how Zach acts. This is just another way to get back at you for what happened." Placing his hands behind head, he looked up at the tall ceiling of the living room and sighed sadly. "You _are_ going to talk to him, aren't you?"

He didn't agree with Nick. Zach had too much pride. It must have cost him a lot of humiliation to leave his home in order to hear about the new deal they had. He wasn't one to just let his pride go. It didn't work like that for him. So, the fact that Zach was in America so close to him spoke well about their situation.

Nodding, Harry moved over to make room for Leslie. "I have to. The first song we're going to record is _Fairy Tales and Castles_. He'll be singing the leading vocals. We can't give the song the same feeling without him." He looked down at his hands and took a deep breath. "Where is he staying?"

"At a hotel in Port Angeles."

Blake grinned and patted Harry on the back. He looked around the room for Luna and discarded the sense of foreboding that he had thinking she had probably just gone up to her room. It was pretty late, and with everything, he couldn't blame Luna for feeling tired.

He grabbed Nick's legs and threw them off the couch. He sat down and then glanced at Neville and Draco, who was cuddled up against the Gryffindor. Elation overtook him and he had to admit that they made a perfect couple. "This is your chance, Harry. As your manager, I suggest you look for him so you can start recording as soon as possible. The more time you take, the weirder your fans get. Who knows, maybe they will even find out where you live just so they can pressure you. As your father, though, I suggest you find one of your friends and make peace because friends are hard to find anywhere."

"Speaking about that." Nick stretched out his legs over Blake's lap and turned his head toward Harry. "What is up with the whole Blake-is-your-father thing?" he asked, as if Blake wasn't present and sitting on the couch.

Harry's manager snorted. "He's my son, Nitwit. Officially and legally."

Nick dug in his heel into Blake's lap but didn't look at him. "How and when did that happen?"

"It was so I could start school as a Muggle. The name I go by here is Harry Evans. I'm Blake's son. My mother died years ago in an accident and I was left with my father so he could raise and educate me. Harry Potter is the name I go by in the Artistic world. Blake adopted the others when my mum couldn't have any more kids."

The man nodded in understanding and glanced at Blake from under his lashes. He could tell the man was once more thinking about his past. Like Harry, he knew when Blake thought of that dreadful life. He had had the pleasure of knowing Blake at his most vulnerable. In fact, other than Harry, he was one of the only ones privy to the man's past. Even Leslie, who was _his_ best friend didn't know about it. Despite what everyone thought, he didn't go around telling his friends' secret to everyone around him.

A light snoring interrupted them.

Harry glanced at Blake and then toward the sound. Slowly, he got up and found Luna fast asleep behind the door in the hallway. It looked like she had passed out on her way toward the stairs. Though, her appearance was paler than usual. She looked terrible. "Blake, where did Luna get the alcohol?" He didn't look at the man, but he knew that the man had followed him out to the hallway. "I know you didn't give it to her. So where did she get it?"

When Blake saw Luna's appearance, he leaned in toward Luna, sniffing her rugged breath as she exhaled. "Neville, come here, please."

A second later, Neville was squatting next to Blake. "What is it?"

"I don't think Luna is drunk. You took an apprenticeship in Herbology, maybe you know what she could have taken."

Harry picked up the blond female and hurried up the stairs, taking them two at a time in order to get to her room faster. If something _was_ wrong with Luna, then they needed to get her medical attention immediately.

As soon as he was inside, he placed her gently on the bed and stood aside so Neville could check her over. He had completely forgotten about Neville's apprenticeship. It was obvious that he hadn't only mastered Herbology. He must have studied under a Mediwizard as well, because it was pretty obvious that he knew what he was doing. He moved about with an expertise that even Madame Pomfrey would be proud of.

The man took Luna's pulse like an expert, knowing exactly what he had to do in order not to comtaminate his job. Draco hovered nearby, waiting to see if he could help his boyfriend in any way. He didn't want to leave. In the last weeks, he had taken a liking to everyone he lived with. It was the first real family he had. Even his biological one hadn't been as good as this one. The only thing they had cared about was their precious Dark Lord and the power they would get from being in the inner circle. The Evans loved without conditions. They didn't ask you to do something in order to gain their respect. They didn't ask you to put your life on the line so the rest could live.

Neville motioned to Harry with a wave of his hand, which made him step forward. The young man took out his wand and waved it over Luna's prone body. "Harry. I need you to get some sleep. Draco and I can help her out."

Shaking his head roughly, Harry stepped closer to his friends. "I don't _want_ to just go to sleep. There has to be something I can do."

He drew his wand and looked at Luna. He didn't like the way she wasn't moving. He didn't like the fact that he felt so useless. He couldn't just stand by and watch his friend so dead to the world. "Neville, please. I can't just sit around-"

Neville placed his hands on Harry's shoulders and looked him straight in the eyes. "Harry, by the looks of her, she's been intoxicated with something. Draco and I can get it out of her. Just relax and go to sleep. It won't do her any good if you stress out. Rest. Believe it or not, I'm pretty adept at Potions now. Herbology and Potions go hand in hand. It was part of my apprenticeship. Go. Tell Blake not to worry. We'll take care of this."

Harry stepped away from Neville and shook his head. "I have to be able to do something. God damn it! I defeated Voldemort. The Ministry is afraid of me because of how powerful I have become. There has to be something I can do about all this!"

Despite the fact that Harry was close to hysteria, Neville remained calm. "There is, Harry. You have to remain calm and go reassure Blake that his daughter will be fine. Just do what I tell you, Harry."

Still, the brunette didn't move from where he was standing. It wasn't that he didn't believe that Neville could save her, he just didn't want to feel so useless. Luna was dying while he wasn't able to do anything about it. Why did something have to go wrong when everything was going so right? This was life's punishment toward him for running from his problems. There was no other way around it.

Draco grabbed Harry's arm and steered him out. He could tell that if Harry didn't leave, he was either going to break down or he was going to blame himself. "Harry, as your best friend, I think you have to leave some things to other people. You're not all powerful. You don't have to take care of everyone. Leave it up to us some times. We're here to help you out. Neville knows he can save Luna just like you knew you would one day face the Dark Lord and triumph. Listen to him."

Feeling impotent, Harry nodded, left the room, and went in search of Blake. He needed to occupy himself or he would just end up returning to the room.

~O~

"What did you give her?"

Hermione raised her eyebrow at him. She was going to pretend like she didn't know what Ron was talking about but it was no use. Her boyfriend already knew what was going on. There _was_ no way he couldn't know. "It isn't lethal." No, it wasn't, if it was treated on time. Otherwise, the person would die from the ingestion of the item.

"Are you sure?"

"Ronald, of course I'm sure. It won't kill her." She let a little outrage show in her voice just to convince him.

The red head still looked uncertain, but he didn't ask any more questions. He didn't want to get into another argument with his fiancé. It seemed to be the only thing they had done since they had left Britain. "I'm going to bed. Where's that girl?"

Hermione shrugged and looked back down at the book in her lap. "She called earlier, said she was going to be out for a while. But that was hours ago. The more she's away the better. I don't want to see her. All she does is talk about Potter."

Nodding, Ron left the room and headed up the stairs toward the borrowed room where he was staying with Hermione.

Sighing, Hermione pushed the book away and glanced at the clock. Luna should be dead by then if she hadn't gotten help. She hoped the girl hadn't. It would strike Potter where he most hurt. Despite everything in the Wizarding world, she had managed to figure out that the four had left together. It was the only thing that would explain the disappearances of four prominent magical figures. That and she had found out that Harry Potter had been spotted in America with three others who were passing off as his siblings. It had only taken a little research and everything had been pieced together.

All she had needed had been someone who was willing enough to give her more information. That someone had been easy to find. _She_ had been the one to talk to them; the one to go up to them and offer her help.

Carrie was just a boatload of information. She told them everything about Harry and his family. She called herself his "biggest fan" but Hermione could see the way she would get a look of resentment in her eyes when she talked about him. Potter had done something to her and she wanted her bit of revenge for it.

The girl was an airhead, but she had her uses.

The door to the house opened and she walked in. "Oh good, you're still awake."

Hermione looked up at her and frowned. She didn't like the way she was glancing at her. Had something gone wrong with their plan? _What had gone wrong with it_? "What happened?" She stood up, forgetting about the book in her lap and ignoring it as it fell to the floor with a loud thud. "Did they save her?"

Carrie swallowed. "She fell asleep like you wanted her too, but Blake found her and they immediately got to work on her. The potion didn't work. Neville saved her."

The Gryffindor tightened her fists and slammed her foot down. "How did they know so soon?"

Shrugging, Carrie put her bag down and placed her keys on the table before turning to the witch. "Apparently, Neville took some apprenticeship and mastered it. He was the one who gave her the antidote. He wouldn't even let Harry get near her. That _isn't_ fair. If Harry is so powerful, how come he listens to the others? Shouldn't they be doing what _he_ tells _them_ to?"

Hermione placed her hand on her arm and sat her down. "You do know that they are trying to manipulate him, right? Harry is too soft for them. Sooner or later, they're going to end up getting rid of him. Luna is trying to get with him and Neville treats him like crap. Draco is an airhead who takes advantage of Harry at every possible way. Why do you think they're here with him? They never liked him before now. But then, he's famous and they want a little of that fame as well. But just you wait until they get what they want."

Carrie turned her hazel eyes on her. "You used to be his friend. That's why you're so worried about him."

She nodded and took the girl's hand into hers. "Harry and I were best friends. But he left us for those you see with him. He picked them over us. After years of friendship, he just threw it all away."

The girl seemed outraged. "How could he do that?!"

"It's because of them. They brainwashed him into thinking that they were his only friends. That they were the only ones who cared about him. They took him away from us."

Her eyes burned with a fire that Hermione had been trying to bring out since they had met. It was what would help her get rid of Harry and his little entourage. "You're going to help me get him back, right? I'm not the only one who misses him. Ron was his best friend as well. We used to be inseparable. You have to help us."

The girl nodded once, with a determine look on her face. "I'll help you get rid of them. Harry deserves to be with the ones who care about him."

Hermione grinned and hugged the girl. Now all she needed was a way to get rid of them. Then, everything would be perfect.

* * *

**A/N: **Thanks for the review. I really appreciate them: **KeightK8**, **HufflePuff96**, **frannienzbabe**, **silverdragondray**, **Yana5**, **choccream24**, **Christina-Marie-35**, **CHEEKY-HERMONIE**, **fifespice **(2x for the two reviews), **Mrs. Edward Cullen Potter**, **DianaLynn0724**, **cagna**, **ginny75**, **Arieru-chan**, **crazycookBekah**, **7sins7lies**, **AngelFromSlytherin**, **animaluvr123**, **kk bk**, **Haunt of twilight**

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	15. Misunderstandings and Disillusions

This chapter has actually be done for a couple of days. Unfotunately, was cooperating with me. Then when I was about to submit the edited version, my internet died.

**Disclaimer: I don't anything associated with Harry Potter or Twilight. The songs are their respective owners'.**

**Summary:** While Luna recuperates, Harry goes in search of Edward. Will they restore their friendship?

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**Chapter XV - Misunderstandings and Disillusions**

Harry opened the door to his Lotus and grabbed a case from the passenger seat. He didn't even know why he had bothered with the instrument if he knew that Edward didn't really want to practice the it. That Edward didn't really want to learn notes and keys and the works. What the vampire wanted was to talk and that was as far away from music as he could think of. Not that he was going to complain much. He was going to spend time with the vampire.

He didn't want to offend anyone, but after what had happened the night before, he didn't feel like talking much. Yes, Luna had gotten better and was on the way to a full recovery, but it didn't mean anything to him. When he had left that morning, she hadn't awoken yet, but Neville had reassured him that the poison had been completely pulled out of her. He and Draco had worked until early that morning to get her the antidote and according to them, she would be back up and walking in the next twenty-four hours. It didn't reassure Harry much. The very fact that Luna had gotten poisoned unnerved him. It meant that there was someone in Forks or nearby that wanted them dead. Someone who knew enough about them to know where they would go and just what they would drink. Because the poison had been ingested through liquids.

He just couldn't think of a single person who would want them dead. Yes, in the weeks since he had arrived, he had seriously pissed off some of his fans with his attitude and remarks, but he couldn't help it that the people in Forks didn't act like the other fans that he had encountered in his travels. There were people who talked to him like a normal person. They laughed with him and they let it go if he didn't give them his autograph or picture. The people from the little town he was at just didn't know when to stop. They had made a bet that he was sure was still in place, despite the fact that it was summer time. They pestered him with questions that were none of their business. They didn't act like the other ones. Then there was Carrie. She was obsessive and no matter how many times Harry had ignored her or scathed her with a remark, she would return and pretend like nothing had happened. Like they were the best of friends and nothing could separate them.

Lately, she had been into asking him a lot of questions about his past. Things he didn't want to divulge and she had no right knowing. He didn't know why, but he had ignored her as best as he had been able to do so. Taking the long ways to class or skipping the class that she was in.

Edward opened the door before Harry had even made it up the stairs and smiled at him. "We should practice somewhere else. The others are all in."

Nodding, Harry followed him across the lawn and into the forest. He didn't really mind. If he was away from the rest of the Cullens then he wouldn't be overheard when he talked to Edward about what was on his mind. It was one of those days where it looked like it was going to rain but no rain would fall. Cold, chilly, and dark. The clouds obscuring the sun and the sky throwing the world into semidarkness. Making you wish you were still in bed trying to sleep.

Edward didn't want to go as far as crossing the river. He just wanted to be away from his family when he talked to Harry. He didn't want any distractions or interruptions. This had to be a special time for the both of them. A time where they could both say what they wanted without fears of being laughed at by the members of their families.

Sitting down on a rock near the river, he motioned for Harry to do the same. He watched as the brunette put the case down and sat against a tree to his left. Immediately, he wondered just how Harry would take it when he was told that he wanted to start a relationship with him. That he wanted to be near him all the time because his life seemed endless; without a ray of hope when he wasn't with him. That he wanted to protect him and hold him when he had a problem that he didn't want to talk about. Knowing him, Edward was sure that Harry already had a suspicion. Nothing got by the wizard.

"Luna was poisoned last night."

Edward's gaze shot up to Harry's and he frowned. "How? When?"

Shrugging, Harry pulled out the Saxophone and shut the case placing the reed on mouthpiece. "We don't know. After you left, the poison took effect. Draco and Neville administered the antidote. They told me she would be better by this afternoon, but it makes me think about things. Things that I hadn't thought about before. She hasn't done anything to anyone. She rarely talks to the people around here. She keeps to herself and the only ones who were close to her were the two girls she sometimes went shopping with."

The vampire watched the brunette closely. There was something in his voice that told him that Harry thought his past had caught up with him. That there was something going on then what had already happened. "What are you thinking, Harry?"

He blew into the instrument for a few seconds and then started adjusting the neck piece. "If she was a loner most of the time, then there was no reason for someone from around here to poison her." He blew into the instrument once more and handed it Edward satisfied with its sound. "Neville told me that what she ingested was something that was found solely in the Magical world. He was able to isolate the magical properties of it but wouldn't tell me exactly what it had been. That means that there has to be someone nearby who knows whom we really are and what we can do. It just makes me wonder who would want us dead. And if that wasn't the case, who would want to kill someone just to cause _me_ harm. There's no one who comes to mind."

Edward nodded and looked down at the Saxophone in his hands. It was so fragile, a lot like his Harry. The boy could easily be broken. What made him think that he could stand being in a relationship with a vampire? What made him think that Harry would accept another problem in his life just because he was his mate? That he would accept him?

He didn't want to consider himself a problem. But he just had to see things the way they were and would always be between them. He would be another problem. It didn't matter how much he told himself otherwise. The problems a vampire would bring to Harry's life were so many. There was no beginning or end to them. He was a wizard, yes, but that didn't mean he had stopped being a human. And humans were meant to be protected and looked after. They were meant to be left alone. They didn't belong in a vampire's life. It didn't seem possible that something like what he wanted could work out. Things would get in the way. Harry deserved nothing but the best and, in his opinion, that wasn't him. And it would never be him.

Harry sighed and stared at the running water. He wasn't really looking at it. He was too far in his thoughts. In too deeply for him to really notice anything around him. "It got me to think about other things."

"For example…"

He didn't look at Edward as he spoke. He had been thinking about it all night. Trying to occupy his thoughts so he wouldn't get in Neville's way. Since he had found out that Luna had been so close to death he had thought and done nothing but. He didn't want to talk to Edward, it didn't mean that he didn't have to. Blake's efforts had to have had some foundation. The man truly believed that Harry would be in a good relationship with Edward. It was the only reason why both Blake and Draco would insist on something. They only had his happiness in mind. And the fact that Rosalie was willing to help him out when she hadn't helped out Edward's ex strengthened the idea. He wanted to prove them right. Prove that maybe they could work something out.

"For example, us."

Blinking, the vampire placed the full force of his gaze on the young man. "What do you mean?" If Harry said it wasn't right for them to start a relationship he didn't think he would be alright with it. However, he did think that if Harry just wanted to be his friend he could control himself. All he wanted to do was be close to him and protect him. He wanted to see Harry happy. It didn't matter what he had to do to achieve it. If he had to be his friend and nothing more than he would do it. It would hurt if and when Harry decided that he wanted to be with someone but he would be able to protect him and look after him. It was all he asked. All he wanted.

Taking a deep breath, Harry looked at Edward. He smiled softly and reached out to take the Saxophone in his hands. "My whole life, I have been hounded by death. It has been around every corner I take. It doesn't matter what I do to run away. I have seen more of my friends die than I would care to recount. My biological family all died before I could even remember them fully. Shit happens in my life and I can't seem to run away from it. Luna coming close to death made me realize that there has never really been anyone special in my life. There has never really been anyone I would care to love. There have been crushes but no one special. Neville once occupied that place and even then, he was only really a friend. Seeing him with Draco last night made me slightly jealous." He saw the look Edward gave him and shook his head. He put the instrument down on the grass and took one of the vampire's hands. "Not because Draco was with my ex. I want Draco to be happy and Neville is just a friend now. It was because, deep down, I wanted what they had. I want to experience that emotion they do when they see each other. I know it sounds stupid to everyone else, but I just-"

One moment, Harry was rambling on and the next, he had been moved to Edward's lap. He only had time to give a slight gasp before his lips were possessed by the vampire. He couldn't help the moan that escaped. He had never had anything sweeter than Edward. It was ambrosia to him.

Wrapping his arms tightly around the wizard, Edward pressed him tighter against him. He didn't hold anything back as he took possession of what he had wanted for so long now and had only just realized. It was wonderful to just let himself kiss Harry without the thought of wanting to kill him invading his mind. It was pure bliss. Unadulterated pleasure cursed through him. He had never felt anything like it. So sweet, wonderful. Absolute bliss.

Harry pulled back and looked down at Edward through lust, misted eyes. "I think some time during the night I died and went to heaven."

Edward laughed gruffly and nuzzled the brunette's neck. "I don't think heaven accepts monsters, Harry."

Drawing a deep breath, Harry felt a shiver run through him as Edward spoke into his neck, his breath tickling him. He didn't like to hear Edward refer to himself as a monster. Because, if they were talking about monster, then he was a bigger one. He had killed and murdered. Maybe not out of pleasure, but he had had the option of opting out of it all. If Edward had killed, it was because he had needed to survive. It had been in his nature to do so. And, he knew that a vampire's nature was hard to control.

"Don't say things like that."

"Why not, Harry? Does it bother you that I could kill anyone if I lost control? Doesn't it bother you that, in a fit of anger, I could kill you? Snap your bones with a slight twist of my wrist?"

Anger arose in Harry. He pushed himself away from the vampire and stood up. Pacing to the edge of the river, he counted to ten but he didn't feel very much in control after doing so. He wanted to vent his anger on someone and Edward happened to be the only person nearby. He didn't want to be used again, but it appeared that it had been exactly the only thing the vampire had wanted to do with him. The fact that Edward had talked like that to him when he had just given him the best snog he had ever had didn't help the situation. But it wasn't the only reason. Luna's near death experience only made him look at things in a different way. It left him unstable, unsure of what to do.

"Is that why you kissed me? Did you want to make a mockery of what I was talking about? Ridicule the fact that there has never really been anyone important in my life until this point in time? Did you find some sick enjoyment in giving me hope and then taking it all away? Because I really don't understand any of it. God why did I even think you could look at me differently from everyone else? I know you were with Isabelle Swan. I know what happened between you two. But that doesn't mean everyone is hurt easily." He could feel the tears threatening to spill but he didn't want them to fall. He didn't want to cry in front of the vampire. He needed to be strong. Needed to get through the obstacles that life put in front of him because otherwise, he wasn't going to make it through.

He rubbed a hand over his eyes in an attempt to stop the tears. He had garnered hope that Edward had wanted something to do with him. He didn't understand why it hurt so much to find out that both Blake and Draco had been wrong about it all. That Rosalie had made the wrong choice in who to confide. That all three of them had wanted something that was impossible.

Edward was confused. What had he said to the wizard? He had just wanted to know. He had his own doubts about it all. How could somebody like Harry want him? The boy was beautiful in more ways than one. He cared about all those whom he knew. He would give anything for those people. He just didn't think he deserve something so beautiful.

When Harry heard that Edward wasn't going to answer him, he gave him one last glare and ran from the place. He knew that if Edward really wanted to, he would catch him and a part of him wanted the vampire to do so. Because then, he would know that Edward at least felt something. Enough to follow him and stop him so he could give an explanation. That was the part that hurt the most when he made it to the car and Edward hadn't done so.

He wasn't going to break down like Draco had that night Neville had made his mistake. He wasn't going to go into a depression. He had gone through this many times before. What was one more time?

No, he was stronger than that.

Life was a bitch. He had learned to accept that. It didn't mean it hurt less to be rejected once more. But he was going to make it. There were people who loved him and wanted him to be happy. Those were the people for whom he would be strong. It didn't matter that Edward had almost made him cry. He hadn't succeeded. He would make it through like he had always done. This wasn't any different from those times.

~O~

Draco grinned from ear to ear when he saw the Lotus pull up into the driveway. A little part in the back of his head told him that is was too soon for Harry to have already returned, but the other part just wanted to know how it had gone with Edward. He wanted to see the happiness on his friend's face.

He knew that Edward loved his friend. It was pretty obvious to everyone around them. That fact that Harry was hesitant had to do with the many people he had lost over the years to both death and betrayal. He didn't want to lose someone else. But Draco was sure that, if given the chance, Edward would make Harry happier than he had ever been.

As Harry walked in through the door, he was humming a soft song and didn't seem to see Draco standing at the entrance to the living room.

Draco hadn't heard it so he assumed it was one of the pieces Harry was working on for the newest album.

"How'd it go?" He frowned when Harry looked at him distractedly. There was no unblemished happiness on the wizard's face. In fact, it seemed like he had just gone through a rough time. And it didn't make sense to Draco. According to Blake, Edward had been willing to talk to Harry about what he felt. Harry had been supposed to return happy and brimming with joy. This wasn't what they had pictured. "Harry, what happened?"

The young man shrugged and put his keys on the table. "What was supposed to happen? I left the instrument with Edward and left him to it. Left him to work it out." He walked away, toward the stairs that led to the back patio.

Neville glanced at his boyfriend. "What do you think happened? That isn't the Harry that left."

Shrugging, Draco pulled out his cellphone and dialed Edward's number. The line rang five times before it sent him to the voicemail. "He's not answering." He dialed Alice's number and was rewarded with her immediate response. "Hey, Alice. Do you know where Edward is?"

"In his room, why?"

"Do you know what happened with Harry?"

There was silence from her side. "I don't know. He and Edward didn't even come into the house. They went into the woods and not even half an hour later, Harry ran out and got in his car. Edward just got back. Did something happen? I can't see Harry's future and Edward is trying not to make a decision. I can't see anything right now."

Draco swallowed thickly. He didn't know, but he was going to find out what had made Harry revert to his old self.

~O~

Nick joined Harry outside. He caught the sound of Harry's music and frowned. It was at full volume, something that he rarely did and he could hear all the words of the song Harry was listening to.

_I kept everything inside  
And even though I tried, it all fell apart  
What it meant to me will eventually be  
A memory of a time when_

_I tried so hard and got so far  
But in the end it doesn't even matter  
I had to fall to lose it all  
But in the end it doesn't even matter_

"Harry, do you want to talk about it?"

Harry shook his head and pulled a headphone out of his ear. "It's nothing to worry about. There are more important matters to attend to. I need you to show me where Zach lives so I can talk to him. Blake is right. We need to start working on the album. Muggle producing is much slower than the magical counterpart." And he had to immerse himself in something or he was going to go insane just waiting around.

The man nodded. "Whenever you want."

"How about right now? No better time like the present."

Nick snorted at his friend and nodded. "Fine. Let me go get Leslie so we can go. I don't think he would want to miss this."

Harry gave him a curt nod and placed the little device back in his ear. Not for the first time, he just wanted to get immersed in his music. He didn't want to think about anything. And for that, he was going to need Zach's help. They needed to start the recording process so his time could be taken up. He didn't want to sit idly by watching how things fell apart around him.

He heard the first chords of the song and thought for a moment of the ironies of life, reminding him of why the song even existed. It had started as a joke from Blake, but Zach had taken it seriously and had written the piece out of pure annoyance. Only so he could get on Harry's nerves. It had nothing to do with Zach and everything to do with Harry.

_I'm feeling crossed  
I take it inside  
Burn up the pain  
My thoughts are strange  
Just like the things  
I used to love  
Just like the tree that fell  
I heard it  
If art is still inside  
I feel it _

_I wanna bleed  
Show the world all that I have inside  
I wanna scream  
Let the blood flow that keeps me alive _

_Take all these strings  
They call my veins  
Wrap them around  
Every fucking thing _

_Presence of people  
Not for me  
Well I must remain in tune  
Forever My love is music  
I will marry melody _

_I wanna bleed  
Show the world all that I have inside  
I wanna scream  
Let the blood flow that keeps me alive _

_Won't you let me take you  
For a ride  
You can stop the world  
Try to change my mind  
Won't you let me show you  
How it feels  
You can stop the world  
But you won't change me _

_I need music  
__I need music  
I need music to set me free  
To let me bleed_

~O~

Edward looked up from the Saxophone in his hands when the door slammed open. He didn't need to see Draco standing where the door had been seconds before. Taking a deep breath, Edward placed the instrument in its case before speaking. "How can I help you?"

Draco blinked. He didn't know why he had gone in the first place. He had just wanted to help Harry out. He didn't know how to start though. It was hard to talk to a person who wasn't even really a person. "What happened between you and Harry?"

"I don't think that's any of your business, Draco."

Draco fumed. "What the fuck are you talking about? Harry is like my brother. He is the person who has helped me out the most. I don't like seeing him so indifferent and distracted. He left our house his normal self. He was happy that he was coming over to see you. Happy that he was once more talking to you. Happy that he was going to restore the friendship. And he gets back, distracted, with a look about him that tells me that things didn't go well over here. What the hell did you do to him?"

Edward sighed and ran a hand through his hair. "I didn't tell him anything. He took something I said the wrong way. All I did was ask him if he wasn't afraid of me and he got angry. I just wanted to set some things right with him. I kissed him and I asked. That was all I did." He didn't know why he was giving any information to Draco. He didn't know why he was suddenly afraid of the blond. He just knew that Draco was Harry's best friend and the two would do anything for each other. If Draco had gone to his house to talk about Harry, it was because he was worried about him. It was because there was something wrong with Harry.

"You kissed him and then you rejected him?! Who the fuck do you think you are?! Do you know how much Harry has gone through?!" The blond tried to calm himself down, though his wand was clutched tightly in his right hand. "Or course, you don't. Have you bothered to learn anything about him? No. Everything has to be about you, Cullen. You know what? I'm glad Blake, Rose, and I were wrong about you two. I hope Harry gets over you soon and finds someone who really does love him. He deserves it."

The vampire's eyes widened and he growled low and menacingly. "Who else is after Harry? Who else wants him?"

"I'm not going to give you the pleasure of answering that. But I know the person will be truly happy when he learns that Harry's isn't in a relationship." Draco stormed out of the room, leaving an angry vampire behind. He knew it had sort of been a low blow on his part, but he needed to get the two to talk. There was no way Harry was going to get over Edward anytime soon and it was obvious that it had only been Edward's insecurities that messed it all up. A talk would fix everything up like it had done with him and Neville.

He just hoped it was soon, before the person who poisoned Luna struck once more.

* * *

**A/N:** Thanks once more for reading. Please remember to vote on the poll in my profile page. Otherwise, I don't know what to do with Luna.

People who reviewed, I thank you for your time and for the strong emotions directed toward Hermione. =D : **Yana5, Arieru-chan, Mrs. Edward Cullen Potter, choccream24, fifespice, silverdragondray, Sabaku no Sable, eccentricallybonkers, beauty0102 (3x for reviewing the three chapters they missed), TESHii-KOiiBiiTO, 7sins7lies**

**Rista07**: I think everyone is feeling that way. Thanks for the review.

I don't think I missed anyone on the reviewing end. Cookies for everyone.

The songs are "In the End" by Linkin Park and "Bleed" by Cold.

"Starting Over" now has **167** reviews, **155** faves, and **254** alerts. Thank you all as well.


	16. Reconciliations and Advice

I'm sorry for taking so long to update. But I have been busy with college work and I have spent most of the time trying to catch up on my sleep. I tried to have it done on Saturday, but I ran into Writer's Block and my family arrived to celebrate my birthday. So that pretty much took up my whole weekend. Again, I'm sorry. Enjoy!

**Disclaimer: I don't anything Harry Potter or Twilight related.**

**Summary:** Edward finds out what Harry went through in Britain. Harry talks to Zach and Alice has a vision.

* * *

**Chapter XVI-Reconciliations and Advice**

"I really don't know what I did to him, Alice. I just asked him. I wanted to know what he thought about it. Bella told me she didn't care, but what if Harry thought differently? What if he was of a different opinion? Was it so bad that I wanted to know?"

His sister smiled softly at him and shook her head. "You have a right to know, but I think you should have used more tact with it. You could have waited until he was, you know, your boyfriend to ask him about it. You told me Luna just got poisoned. He needed someone to talk to. Someone who would just listen and not judge him." She lifted her finger as if in thought. "You also need to stop comparing him to Bella. Harry isn't anything like her. By our standards, Bella was fragile, incapable of defending herself. Harry…..Well, Harry is different."

"He's still a human. It doesn't matter how much magic he has at his disposal. I could still kill him; still hurt him."

"Do you really think Harry would let you?"

Edward ran an agitated hand through his hair and paced the room, trying to ignore Alice and her comment. But he couldn't. The words haunted him.

_Would Harry let him hurt him? _

_Probably not, _a voice in the back of his head said. Harry wasn't the type to take something and not do anything about it.

Edward had never felt so exhausted. He felt like he had just run a marathon and hadn't stopped yet. But not his physical self. No, his physical self felt fine. It always did. It was something deeper, what was suffering. He had to admit, he had never felt like this. Not even for Bella. It was like a part of him wasn't there with him. The fact that Harry had admitted liking him had stunned him. It had brought out the most protective side of him as well. The same side that wanted to claim him as his. That wanted everything to do with the wizard.

"I didn't judge him and I would never think less of him because he is a human. I didn't do it with Bella and Harry isn't any different to me."

Alice sighed and grabbed Edward's hand. "You know he _is_ different. So much more different that you fell in love with him." She gave him a small smile before continuing. "I know you didn't judge him. But you judged yourself. And to him, that's the same thing. I _can't_ see Harry's future and it's probably because of that shield he has around his mind. But that doesn't make sense because I can see the rest of his family's. Draco and Neville will have a wonderful future together. One day they will have a little one that they adopt. Luna's future is still undecided especially with the many decisions she's making, but I'm sure her future will be great as well. But Harry's a big blank. I _will_ tell you that, if I am correct, Harry has been through hell and back. Every time he comes close to Jasper, all he feels is something so deep that even he can't fathom it. It unnerves him and we both think that it has to do with what happened to him in his past."

"Rose and Carlisle both know about his past."

She nodded and pulled Edward until he had stopped pacing and was sitting on the bed. "They both know and judging by it, none of them have given you any information."

Edward winced at the thought. "The last time I tried getting anything from one of them, Rosalie ended up humming the Teletubi song so loud it was stuck in my head the whole day."

Alice giggled and wrapped her arms around her brother. Her husband had gone hunting with the rest of the family and she had stayed behind so she could help Edward sort out the whole Harry thing. She didn't like seeing her brother so depressed. In all the time she had known him, she had never seen him like that. He had been quiet and reserved, yes. But never like he had been acting. And this was only the first day. What would happen to him when time passed and he didn't gather the courage to talk to Harry? For that matter, what would happen to Harry? Would they both regret it later on? She knew Edward would. She could see it in his future. He just needed to decided not to let Harry go.

"Rose _does_ like torturing you."

Edward grimaced and stood up to pace once more. "I still have to figure out what to do."

"I think you should talk to him."

The vampire whirled around to face Rosalie, who was standing in the doorway of the room, her arms crossed with a scowl on her face. It was a perfect replica of the scowl Draco sometimes wore. "What would you know?" Actually, he could tell she knew a whole lot of the situation, especially since she once more had the Teletubi song in her head and was broadcasting it so loud it was a wonder Alice didn't hear it.

Rosalie sighed and motioned for Alice to leave. "I have to talk to Edward alone."

Grinning, Alice skipped out of the room. But she stopped mid-stride right outside of Edward's room. She wasn't going to be able to hear what Rosalie had to say to Edward. The room had been warded the last time Rosalie had talked to Harry, but that didn't diminish her hopes.

Sighing, she went in search of her husband. She would just have to get it out of Edward the next time she talked to him. It wouldn't be hard. Edward already confided in her. All she needed to do was poke around and he would tell her.

She grinned and ran toward the forest.

~O~

Rose sat down on the bed and waited for Edward to do the same. When he didn't she shook her head and yanked him down onto it.

"Harry is probably going to kill me for telling you, but you leave me no other choice."

Edward swallowed unnecessarily. "What do you know about Harry?" He didn't know if he wanted to know from her or if he wanted to wait until Harry told him. However, at that point in time, it didn't seem likely that Harry would ever talk to him. He just wanted to know more about him. He wanted to know everything about him. Wanted to know enough so he could protect him. It was a little obsessive, he knew, but the young man had admitted liking him in more than one way. Otherwise, he didn't think the kiss would have been so great.

"Harry told me everything."

The vampire took a deep breath, but before he could ask anymore questions Rosalie spoke up again. "I haven't told you because it didn't seem right. This is Harry's life we're going to talk about. It's not pretty and rose colored. We have been through a lot, but nothing can compare to what he went through in the almost nineteen years of his life.

Edward nodded in understanding. "I still want to know."

Smiling, Rose began to retell Harry's tale. All the while hoping that Harry wouldn't get mad at her for doing so. She just wanted to see the both of them happy.

~O~

Zach picked up his bass and put it back in the case, waving it away to his home in Scotland. He would summon it back to him when he needed it in the future; _if_ he even needed it. He didn't even understand why he had taken it out in the first place. Like Harry, he had learned multiple instruments but he hadn't been as quick at it as Harry had. Practically his whole life had been spent learning the "art of music". He had just wanted to feel a sense of normalcy. Something he hadn't felt since before the band had split up. He had been enthusiastic about the new record deal when he had first heard about it from Leslie and Nickolahs. It had sounded great. So he had gotten on a plane with his two friends and he had made it to Port Angeles. It wasn't until he was in the small town that he remembered why he and Harry had gotten into a fight in the first place.

Granted, he knew that he shouldn't have argued when his song hadn't been recorded. But it hadn't been the first place or the first time. It had been rejected numerous times before and he had finally had enough. His intention hadn't been to split everyone up. The idea had never even crossed his mind. He had cared about the others even if, out of all of them, Harry had been the only one no one really talked to. He hadn't gone out with them when they went out on their debauchery adventures. He hadn't interacted unless it was on the "job". It had worked out that way and afterward, when he had made it to his home, he had felt guilty about it all, something he hadn't felt very often.

Grabbing a set of chopsticks from the small table, he opened the container of Sweet and Sour Chicken and poked at it. He didn't feel like eating. Hadn't felt like it since he had arrived and Les and Nick had left. It was only a matter of time before Harry arrived and told him to leave. He didn't want to think about it, but he couldn't really help it either.

It scared him more than anything else had.

He had never had to beg for something and he didn't want to start. But if Harry asked him to, he would. Not because he wanted his job back. But because he wanted Harry's friendship. It was the only thing that was important to him. It was the only thing that had _ever_ been important to him. He knew they would work better if they were friends, even if Harry didn't want to be _his_ friend. Because he was just peachy with Leslie and Nickolahs. It was just him Harry had an aversion to.

He knew of a lot of people who would rather befriend a viper than be friends with Harry Potter. But those were the people who had turned their backs on Harry when he had needed them the most. There were still people in the Wizarding world that cared about the Boy Who Lived and Zach had been talking to them. They all believed Harry would never turn Dark. They knew the real Harry and believed in everything he had done over the years. They were the ones that were worth being friends with.

And Zach had to agree with them. The young man was too innocent despite everything he had gone through. He had too much good in him. He didn't understand how someone could retain so much of their innocence even after everything Harry had gone through. It was understandable that he would become a little cynical maybe even hating life, but Harry had just been depressed. He hadn't become suicidal. He hadn't been angry. He had moved on with his life, trying to block everything he had gone through; throwing it to the back of his mind.

He put the Chinese food container down and turned on the television only to be distracted once more by his thoughts. What would happen when Harry arrived? Would he want him there or would he demand that he leave?

Zach made a noise of exasperation and threw the remote at the wall, watching it as it sent little shards everywhere. He didn't want to think about any of this, but it was like it was taking revenge for everything he had done. Oh, god. How would _he_ react when Harry said what he was going to say to him? _He_ didn't even know.

He laid down on the bed and looked up the at the ceiling, counting the cracks in the plaster. He was on 1,277 when a knock on the door destroyed his concentration.

"Who is it?"

"Open the door, Zach. It's me, Nick."

Zach's blood went cold. He was sure Harry was with Nick. _Why else would Nick return?_ Oh god. The time had come and he still wasn't ready to face the music. How was he supposed to go through this? If Harry rejected him, he was sure to make a fool of himself.

The twenty-two-year-old opened the door and smiled softly at Nick, who threw himself into his arms and hugged him back fiercely. He pushed him off and shook his head. There was nothing between the two of them and he was grateful for that, but there were times when Nick would pretend and take things too far. He knew Nick liked someone else. Had liked someone else for some time but he hadn't gathered the courage to tell that someone. He had thought it was too soon for the other person and had left it at that, not wanting to destroy the friendship they already shared.

Now, however, Zach was sure Nick would stand a chance if he told his crush. Even if he didn't, he was sure the other person would figure it out sooner or later.

"Hi, Harry."

Harry nodded curtly and walked past Zach without a single word. It wasn't until Zach had closed the door that Harry spoke up. "We need to talk."

Nick clapped his hands in a childish manner. "I agree completely."

Both, Harry and Leslie, gave him a condescending glare and returned to what they had been doing. "I think this is your decision and I won't influence you in any manner. But if you came all this way then it has to count for something." Harry took a deep breath, not knowing how to start with it all. "Nick and Les already told you about the contract Blake wants to sign. The first song is 'Fairy Tales and Castles'. I want to know if you would like to continue recording with us. We won't be the same without you and I would really like you to take the lead with the song. It _is_ yours after all."

Zach bit his bottom lip and looked at the three of them. He nodded and watched a glow entered Harry's eyes. It was kind of scary how Harry could go through his moods. And, for the first time, he noticed that there was something different about him. Out of the corner of his eyes, he caught the hand motioned Nick was making at him. Something had happened to Harry in the short time he had been here and Nick was willing to tell him what.

Harry took a deep breath. "I thought this was going to be harder. Maybe take longer to convince you about it all. We didn't exactly leave each other on the best of terms the last time we saw each other." Harry smiled at him and nodded. "It's good to have you on board once more. I have to talk to Blake so he can set up an appointment but that's all we have to do. After this we just show up at the recording studio and do what we do best. Though, we do have to practice to smooth out the rough edges of the songs."

"Are we writing new ones? Because I have a very good idea for one…." Nick let the sentence trail off.

Harry shrugged and waved his hand at the man. "If you can come up with the words, then by all means do whatever you please. I'm not going to kill your creativity. Just remember that we have to have it down and ready for the new album."

Leslie ran a hand through his blond hair. "Just a thought, but could we invite one of our fans over."

Both Harry and Zach frowned at the same time; looking at one another before looking at Leslie. They had never had fans sit in at one of their recordings or with them at all times. Not only because it was one of their private sittings, but because it left people wanting more and there were some really _excited _fans out there. Nick's idea, of course. He had made it quite clear that he didn't want people knowing everything about them. Which was really out of place for him. He usually wanted attention directed at him, but they had supported him with the idea.

"Do you have anyone in mind?"

Leslie grinned and pulled out his cellphone. "I'm thinking Sara. She has gone to all our concerts and I want to give her something else before Magical Sound dissipates into nothingness."

Nick whistled. "Why are you thinking with such negativity?"

Harry ignored Nick, nodded, and waved his hand in Leslie's direction. "Call her and tell her where we are. In fact, call Blake to get her a plane ticket. She shouldn't have to pay for it." He turned back to Zach. "Do you have your things ready?"

Frowning, Zach looked around. "I guess, why?" The fact was, he had never really had his things unpacked. He had waited for this moment but with all the negativity he had been able to muster.

"You're going to stay at my house. Everyone is there so there shouldn't be a problem with someone else taking up space. Come one, grab your things so you can follow me to the place. Sara can stay there as well so she won't have to pay a hotel."

Zach grabbed some shirts he had left on the ground and threw them into the suitcase. He pulled the handle out and grabbed his food from the table. He was about the walk out of the apartment when he thought better about it went back into the room. He put the container in Nick's hands and grinned. "See you later. You have to tell me what is up with Harry."

Nick nodded and made himself comfortable on the bed. He opened the carton in his hands and grabbed the chopsticks Zach had left on the table. "Thanks for the food. But you do know they're going to kick us out as soon as you turn in the key?"

Tossing the key over his shoulder, Nick exited the room right behind Harry. He couldn't wait to get started. It was one thing to work on his music when there was no one else around and another to work on his music with his colleagues. It was completely different.

~O~

Alice laughed at Jasper and Emmett as they, once more, wrestled to see who was the better "man". Neither of them was winning. Yes, Emmett was stronger and bigger, but Jasper had years of strategic training on his side. He knew when to attack and when to retreat. He planned his moves before he even did them, while Emmett attacked without reserve. She couldn't wait to see the outcome. Either way, she was going to have a very grouchy brother after this.

She could hear Edward at the piano, composing a rather unique melody. It swelled with what she knew were his emotions. They seemed to pour out of him through the instrument and she couldn't help but think that he would have been much better if he had gone to see Harry already. He had resisted, despite everything that Rosalie had told him. It had all been corroborated by Carlisle. Between the two vampires, they had given Edward Harry's full life story. But he still had some reserve about the whole situation.

Jasper pinned Emmett but the bigger vampire threw Alice's husband off.

Sighing, Alice stood up and walked into the house leaving Emmett and Jasper to their own devices. She made her way to Edward and sat down besides him on the bench, hitting a random key to get his attention.

As soon as she did so, Edward glared at her. "What, Alice?"

"You know, if you want to talk to him it's okay. I mean, I'm sure Harry would like to know about you. He was your friend." She tried pushing him toward the decision. She could see many possible futures, but she didn't like the one she saw of her little brother. If he didn't make up his mind soon, he was going to lose Harry to someone else. Maybe not another lover, but another person. There were many things that could get to a wizard. It worried her that she couldn't see the brunette's future. She could only see the futures of the people around him.

Edward's hands froze over the keys and he shook his head slightly. "I can't. Not yet. There are things that I have to think about." She could hear a hint of fatigue in his voice and for a moment wondered where it had come from. Vampires didn't get tired.

Alice slapped his arm and ran her fingers over the keys. "Okay, first of all, you've been thinking for the past three days. Three days," She held up three fingers showing him as if he didn't know, "Edward. You can't think any more than that. Go to him. I have this feeling that you might just lose him soon if you don't."

The vampire's head whipped around. His eyes widened, a hint of the monster inside him visible in them. "What did you see, Alice?" He shook her roughly, forgetting to control himself. He couldn't get past the idea that Harry could be hurt somewhere and he was just sitting there trying to think about everything he had running around in his head. "Alice?"

His sister pushed his hands away and shook her head. "I haven't seen anything. But, I have a feeling there is something coming. Harry is going to need all the help he can get to get past this obstacle. Just go to him. Don't think about it any longer. There's no point. You might not want to because of what happened to Bella. And I agree. I wouldn't want to go through that again. But Harry is different from her. He's stronger. He can take care of himself. He's special to everyone."

"You just said-" He didn't even know why he was having this conversation. He could hear all of Alice's thoughts. He knew what she was going to say next. So, then why was he asking her?

"This has nothing to do with us and everything to do with him. This is Harry's problem. Not ours."

"If the Volturi find out-"

"We will deal with that when the times comes. Now go. I'm sure Harry will want to see you despite everything that has gone on between the two of you."

Edward nodded once and stood. He was gone before Alice could say anything else.

~O~

Once more, Alice was watching Jasper and Emmett at it. This time however, they were immersed in their video games. In the last round, she had helped Jasper out by disconnecting Emmett's controller. It had taken the vampire some time before he noticed. Afterward, he had chased her until she had danced out of his reach and he had had no other choice but to returned to his games.

She didn't understand them. They had lived decades and the best way they found to spend their time was by sitting in front of a television screen trying to kill each other in some virtual world.

Honestly, she preferred shopping. Though, now that she thought about it, she hadn't shopped in a while. It would be fun to take Harry shopping. She was sure the wizard would go with her if she asked nicely. She liked the way he dressed. It wasn't too dressy but it wasn't too casual. Button down shirts and jeans or slacks. Not too much black but not too little. Just perfect. She was absolutely sure that the color green would compliment his eyes perfectly.

Grinning, she flipped through the magazine in her lap. Yeah, she was going to take Harry shopping as soon as he made up with Edward. She couldn't let her brother's boyfriend walk around with old clothes, could she?

She was about to ask Jasper's opinion on a dress she had run across in the magazine when she froze. Immediately, her mind focused on the future she was seeing. At first it was fuzzy and she couldn't make out the person but in seconds, it was crystal clear. If her heart would have been functioning, she was sure it would have stopped when she recognized the person.

_The girl was grabbing her suitcase from the luggage rack at the entrance of the airport. She pushed her hair out of the way and looked around, obviously looking for her taxi. She didn't have to wait long. Within minutes, she had her suitcase in the trunk and was climbing into the backseat of the taxi._

"_Where to, Miss?"_

_Taking a deep breath, Alice could see she was trying to calm her nerves. She was trying to gather the courage to say her destination. But there was only one place she was going; one place she _could_ go to. "Forks, Washington."_

_The cab driver nodded and punched in the name of the town into the GPS on his dashboard. Minutes later, he was turning onto the highway that would take him and his passenger to Forks._

"Alice, are you okay?"

She jumped to her feet and glance at Jasper before shaking her head. "We have problems." With that, she pulled out her cellphone and stared to dial Edward's number. She needed to warn him. Tell him so he would be prepared for what was to come. She just couldn't believe it. Why now, when everything seemed to have been going well for everyone?

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**A/N: **Again, I'm sorry for the long delay. What was it? Three weeks? Anyway, I didn't really like the way this chapter turned out. But then, I wrote it with Writer's Block. Thanks for reading

Thanks to everyone who reviewed the last time: **Yana5, Mrs. Edward Cullen Potter, DianaLynn0724, beauty0102, Arieru-chan, fifespice, arisa-draconis, Arfa, animaluvr123, 7sins7lies, Basill, zeo knight**

**Rista07**: I think everyone agrees with you. Thanks for the review. =D

For everyone who hasn't voted, the poll is still up. Please vote, even though right now, Jacob is winning by one vote.

"Starting Over" now has **180** reviews, **174** favs, and **286** alerts. Thank you everyone. Cookies for you all.

Playlist is up on my profile. I will update it as I go along with the story. Same thing goes for the car pictures.


	17. Edward's Dilemmas

Thanks to .Syrup, I have decided to dispose of the poll, I'm sorry for all those who voted, but the idea is too grand to ignore. I also want to thank .Syrup for getting rid of my Writer's Block. You're suggestion did wonders. Also, congrats to the people who figured who the girl was. Okay. I didn't intend for this chapter to be 1000 words longer than it would usually be, but things happen and when I knew it, it was this long. Promise next chapter won't be so long. Enjoy!

**Disclaimer: I don't own anything Harry Potter or Twilight related. The song is its respective owner's.**

**Summary:** Harry and Zach decide to start over and Edward finds them in a compromising situation.

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**Chapter XVII - Edward's Dilemmas**

Draco took the stairs two at a time, intent on getting to Harry. He needed to tell that boy a few things that were on his mind. Seriously, how could one person mope so much in three days? He had been alright the first day. Harry was supposed to mope after what Edward had done to him, but three days was long enough. The only time the wizard had left the house had been to go to get Nick and afterward he didn't leave his room unless he had to practice with the others. He had even asked Blake to make the appointment in two week. Of course, Draco had suggested another date. A date that was within the week.

The blond was about to knock on the door when he heard "Slept So Long" start up from the other side. He frowned and opened the door without knocking and found Harry lying spread out on the bed looking blankly up at the ceiling. He didn't even look in Draco's direction when the door was slammed close. He ignored when Draco sat down next to him and completely pretended like the blond didn't exist when he tried talking to him.

_Walking, waiting  
__Alone without a care  
Hoping, and hating  
Things that I can't bear_

_Did you think its cool to walk right up  
To take my life and fuck it up  
Well did you  
I hate you_

Fed up with it, Draco stood, crossed the room, and unplugged the stereo system. "Okay, enough is enough. Get up from that stupid bed and go downstairs. Entertain your guests, Potter." He didn't expect a response so he wasn't disappointed when Harry just glared at him and continued to lie on the bed like Draco hadn't spoken. "Now!"

"What gives you the right to tell me what to do?"

"The fact that I'm your friend, Potter. Now get up. Go ease Blake's worries. He's been freaking out over you. Blimey, he even thinks you need a psychologist." He was pretty sure that was the name of the doctor Blake had mentioned.

Harry sighed and sat up so he could get a better look at Draco. "You went to talk to Edward didn't you?"

Draco didn't negate the accusation. He wasn't ashamed that he had tried to help his friend. In fact, he was sort of glad that the brunette knew about it. It made his job a whole lot easier. "Yes, I did. But it was for your own good."

"What did he say?"

Draco scowled and took a seat next to his friend. He wasn't very good at this sort of things and it made him regret having told Harry that he had gone to see Edward. He should just walk out and forget about it all; let Harry figure it all out on his own. But he couldn't. Harry was his best friend. He wanted to see him happy; see him like he had never really seen him before. "What do you want me to tell you?"

Shrugging, Harry picked at his blanket. "I don't know. Look, I didn't ask for what was happening. I don't even know how it happened. It's just……Edward was so……I don't know. He was there and then he just seemed to become an integral part. Bloody hell. I don't know how anything happened." He ran an agitated hand through his hair. "I like him, Draco. More then I think I should. More than I thought I _could_. I was willing to……I wanted……I don't even know what I wanted."

The blond smiled. He knew what Harry was talking about. He could understand him better than anyone in the house could. And, in his opinion, it was a losing battle. There was no way Harry could get away from it. Sooner or later, he was going to have to go to Edward or Edward was going to come to him. "Harry?"

He waited until the had his friend's attention before continuing. "He didn't mean to offend you."

"How can you be so sure? Honestly, Draco. Rose told me he had a girlfriend before he met us. He wasn't gay. He-" the young man swallowed. "I don't know. Maybe I'm seeing things that aren't there. The whole thing with Luna put me on edge. I don't know what will happen next."

Draco wrapped his arms around him and pulled him closer. "First of all, Harry, Luna is okay. With Neville, she wasn't in any trouble. I'm going to give you some advice and I hope you take it because everyone is worried about you." He grinned and looked down at his friend. "Forget about everything that has happened to you. Forget about everything that _will_ happen. Live only in the moment. Don't pay attention to us. We can take care of ourselves. Do what you want and what makes you happy. It's the only thing we want."

Harry shook his head and pulled away from Draco. "I promised myself I wasn't going to fall apart like you did. But, I guess that didn't work out like I planned."

Once more, Draco grinned. "Harry, nothing ever goes as we plan."

His friend gave him a weak smile and satisfied, he stood up and walked over to the stereo system. He unplugged Harry's iPod from the cable that was feeding the music into the stereo system and pocketed it before his friend even knew what he was doing. "Now, until you decide that you're going to go downstairs and hang out with your guests, you're not getting your iPod back. I don't want you listening to anymore rubbish. No offense, Harry, but the songs you've been listening to lately are too depressing." He didn't even wait for his friend's response. Instead, he flipped his hair and walked out of the room, leaving a rather amused Harry behind.

~O~

"Actually, I need to go into town to get some things I didn't bring with me."

Leslie nodded and threw his keys at Nick. "Take my car, but remember, I want it back in one piece." He grinned when Zach lifted his eyebrow at him. "What? Like Nick says, it's a precaution."

"Why don't you just take one of the cars in the garage? Harry has thousands in there. Have you seen them?" Nick wasn't looking at them. He was busy trying to control his virtual car. He wasn't having much luck. The Ford Mustang kept crashing into the surrounding walls. "I'm sure Harry would let you use one."

Zach frowned. He didn't really want to ask Harry for anything. Despite the way he had talked to him at the hotel, they hadn't really conversed with each other afterward. Harry appeared for the practices but when they finished with them, he went straight to his room and locked himself in. In fact, he hadn't talked to any of them. Well, maybe Draco would have some success. They all knew that they were in the presence of the famous Draco Malfoy. The person who had wormed his way into Harry's rather tightly woven life and had taken the role of "best friend". They were sure that if anyone could get Harry to do anything it was him.

Sara frowned and ran a hand through her dark brown hair. "What's wrong with him anyway?"

Leslie and Zach shrugged even though they both knew exactly what was wrong with their leading vocalist. Nick had told Zach everything and then some.

"Love. That's what's wrong with him. Love. The only thing that can bring anyone to their knees. Fuck!" He slammed the controller on the table and turned to find Leslie and Zach glaring at him. "What? Look, if she's going to live here for a while than she needs to know what is going on. Especially with Harry."

She laughed. "It's okay, Nick. They're right."

"Yes, they are."

Draco walked in with all the flare he could while trying to avoid Neville's hands. "You guys should keep to your own businesses. If Harry hasn't told you anything it's because he doesn't want you to know. Things happen and some of them not even his closest friend knows about." He took a seat next to Nick and cuddled up against boyfriend.

Sara made a soft "aw" sound and smiled broadly. "I never knew Harry had such gorgeous friends." She glance at Luna, who was trying to keep out of the conversation. She hadn't talked since she had recovered from her near-death experience; had stopped most of her interactions with them. She wasn't the girl Draco and Neville had met during their school years anymore. She didn't even wear her radish earrings. If it was possible, she had gotten paler; lost weight, putting her dangerously on the borderline of malnutrition. It was like she had lost the will to live. And Sara couldn't help but wonder just what it was that had caused the drastic change in her. She knew that a girl like her couldn't have been like that all her life. There must have been a time when she different. It was like she was missing something in her life.

Sara might have had an idea. She wanted to find someone for the girl. She wanted to _help_ her find someone. She knew it couldn't be anyone in the house. That much was obvious. Though she was attractive, she knew that Nick had a crush, Leslie was falling for her, and Zach was just much too down-to-earth. Luna needed someone who would understand her and wouldn't hover. Someone who would give her the space she needed but would always be there when she was in need of a shoulder to cry on.

"Hey, what about us?" Sara's attention was brought back to earth by Nick's voice.

Zach smirked and sat next to the blond girl. "You don't count, Nick."

The lighthearted conversation continued until Nick decided he really _did_ need to get into the town. He didn't want to be out at night. Things happened when you least expected them and he didn't know the town all that well. So just in case he got lost, it was better if he left early.

"I'll see you guys later." He smiled when they all nodded and waved at him.

As soon as he stepped into the garage, he whistled long and low. Instantly, he loved the garage. In fact, he felt like it had become his favorite place in the whole house. Off to his immediate right, he could see an Opel GT and right next to it was a Jaguar JKR Convertible. He immediately pegged the Lotus for Harry's. The day Harry had picked him up from the hotel he had been driving the Ferrari and he had already found out that that one belonged to Blake.

He ran his hand over the hood of the orange Koenigsegg CCXR in a loving gesture. It was a beautiful car, to say the least. Over in Scotland, he had a good car, but it didn't compare to the one in front of him. This was a beautiful piece of artwork. He was in love.

"You can have it if you want it."

Zach whirled around and found Harry standing right inside the garage door. "But, it's-"

"-not mine. Draco went a little crazy with my money and bought all the cars he liked. I told him to take them back but afterward, I didn't have the heart to do it again. Draco was spoiled when he was growing up. After the war I set him up with funds to get him by. He's been my best friend since then. If keeping the cars made him happy, then I wasn't going to take that happiness away from him. But, now he has Neville and I'm sure he will be able to make him happy. He won't need the cars."

"How did you fit all the cars in here?"

"Blake had to charm the garage. At first it was only his two cars. I was gone that first weekend we were here." He saw the inquiring look Zach was giving him and sighed. "I took a surprise and I didn't want to see any of them. Spent the weekend over at the Cullen's house after I wrecked the Ferrari. When I returned, they surprised me with the cars. They each have one and, in Blake's case, even two. I already gave the Porsche to Sara."

Zach looked at the silver Porsche Carrera GT and grinned. "I'm guessing she was happy."

"Ecstatic." He threw a set of keys his way. "There's a key to the house and your car keys in there." He could see the happiness practically radiating off of Zach. It made him feel optimistic about their relationship. Maybe, they could be friends after all. They had things to work through but he was sure it would work out. If he couldn't have what he wanted, then he was going to try to substitute it with other things. It was the way he had managed to get by before and it was the way he was going to get by now.

Holding up the ring with three keys, he pointed at the white tag firmly attached to them. "What's this?"

Shrugging, Harry lifted up his own set and pointed at the tag on them. "I named the keys so they wouldn't get mixed up, cast a charm on them so only I can take the tag off, and jinxed them so you can't lose them anywhere at anytime."

Laughing, he unlocked the Koenigsegg and ran his hand over the leather seats. "Thanks, Harry."

"Don't mention it. I have this notion that you think I hate you."

"It's not that-"

Shaking his head, Harry stepped toward him and bit his bottom lip. "I don't hate you, Zach. Never have and I don't think I ever could. It's just, I don't really get along with the people I meet. They usually want something from me that I can't give them and when I can, they take and give nothing in return."

Zach reached out and pushed Harry's bangs away from his forehead, revealing the scar that still and would forever mark him as The Boy Who Lived. "Stop talking, Harry. I understand you, as do the rest of the people here in this house. We don't want anything that you aren't willing to give us. Okay?" He buried his fingers in the brunette's hair and couldn't help but notice just how soft it was. It was like silk against his skin. "So you don't hate me?"

Harry shook his head, oblivious to the way Zach was looking at him; to the fingers that were massaging his scalp slightly. "I _don't_ hate you, Zach. If you can't believe anything else, believe that. I know I haven't really tried being your friend, but it's because of what I told you. Just forget about that year and let's try to start over from the beginning." He stretched out his hand across the small space that separated them. "Hi, I'm Harry Potter, rather, Harry Evans. You are?"

Zach took the hand Harry was offering and pulled him hard against him. "Zacharias Leroy. It's nice to meet you Harry." He bent his head slightly and glanced up once before meeting the wizard's gaze.

"Zach, what are you doing?"

"Something I should have done when I first met you."

A growl irrupted from the doorway of the garage and Harry jumped away from Zach. He wheeled around and found Edward standing just inside. His hands were curled into fists at his side. A bloodlust raged through his eyes as he kept his gaze on Zach.

The twenty-two-year-old threw back his head and laughed. Before Edward could do anything to him, he got into the car, closed the door, and winked at Harry before taking off.

Harry was left baffled. He didn't know what had just happened. _What had Zach been playing at? _He knew that the man didn't like him that way. But, one moment he was looking at the open garage door and the next, he was looking straight at Edward. Automatically, he took a step backward.

"Edward, what are you doing here?"

~O~

Zach stopped in the circular driveway of the house and waited until Sara jumped in. He was still laughing over what he had done to both Harry and Edward. It hadn't been his intention at first. But he had seen the vampire walk in during their conversation. He hadn't seemed to know how to start so he had helped him out.

Sara buckled her seatbelt and glanced at him. "You look happy."

Shrugging, he put the car into drive and sped out of the driveway. He loved the purr of the engine. It drove smoothly, smoother than any car he had ever driven. "Let's just say that after what just happened, Edward is going to have no choice but claim our lovely Harry. Seriously, that boy is thicker than syrup. No wonder Harry is so depressed."

She smacked his arm, her eyes wide with surprise. "What did you do, Zach?"

Again, he shrugged and chuckled softly. He still couldn't believe his plan had somehow worked. "You can say I tried seducing Harry in front of his 'guy'."

She laughed and couldn't control it. She just couldn't believe Zach had done such an outrageous thing. But, it would help out the both of them in the long run.

~O~

"What do you think I'm doing here?"

Harry shrugged and walked back into the house. His heart was pounding with anticipation. He really did want to know why Edward had shown up at his house. "How the hell am I supposed to know what you came for? The last time I saw you, you thought I was too weak to handle what you were. So tell me, Edward, how the hell am I supposed to know? You tell me one thing one day and then, when you have me completely fooled in the palm of your hand, you change your mind and come up with the stupidest things I have ever heard." Harry wasn't even trying to keep his voice down to a minimum and it was getting the attention of the others in the house.

"Harry, what are you talking about?"

"Please don't think me stupid enough to not understand what you are doing." Harry turned around and poked Edward's chest which he immediately regretted. "Fuck!" Whirling around, he marched up the stairs to the second floor. "You're afraid of how much you're changing. You're not the first to go through it and you sure as hell won't be the last one. Get over your damn self and think about the other people you are hurting with your blasé attitude."

Edward reached out and yanked Harry to a stop right as he was taking the last step. The brunette fell backward into the vampire's arms. He didn't struggle. He didn't complain when the vampire wrapped his arms around him and held him. "How do you expect me to get over myself when you are the one who is causing the problems?"

Harry took a deep breath and turned his head slightly so he was looking at Edward's face. "Do you want me to leave? Do you want me to end all you problems?" He was close to tears. He knew that, but there was really nothing he could do about it.

The vampire swept Harry up in his arms and made his way directly to his room, following the strong scent that he knew belonged to the man in his arms. He didn't want anyone hearing them like they had been doing from the bottom of the stairs just a few seconds before. He felt Harry struggling against him and couldn't hold back the smile. His Harry was so predictable and at the same time so complicated. He couldn't fathom how much time it would take him just to understand him completely.

"Put me down, Edward. What the hell do you think you're doing?"

Pushing open the door, he placed Harry on the bed and then returned to close it firmly. "Okay, now we can talk." He took a deep unnecessary breath and watched as Harry jumped off the bed and got as far away from him as the room would permit. "I don't want you to leave," he continued, knowing exactly where they had left off on the stairway. "It's the last thing on my mind."

Harry took a deep, calming breath and ran a hand through his already messy hair. He cocked his head and studied the vampire before speaking up. "Do you still think about her?"

He froze. _What her was he talking about?_

"Yeah, you see, Rosalie told me everything you had with this Isabella character." Harry waved his hand and paced in front of the window. "I must say, I'm sorry for your loss. No, I'm not talking about you losing her. God no. I'm talking about the chance you had to have a normal life with her. She might have been fragile, like all we humans are, but she represented normalcy. Now, you look at me and think that that won't happen. I'm sure Rose already told you what happened to me in Britain. She's like Draco and Draco is my best friend. It's something he would have done if he had been in her place.

"There was so much death and destruction. Killings I never wanted to make. Magic I never wanted to use. Now, they accuse me of becoming the next Dark Lord and I can never go back without the press hounding my every step. I belong to the famous rockband, Magical Sound. How can you ever have a normal life with me? Not only do I bring so many problems, but there's the fact that I'm a guy." Harry ran a hand over his face. It was a way of trying to keep the tears that were threatening to fall. He didn't want to cry. He _couldn't_ cry. "You think you have had a bad life, but you have never had to live through what I did. Compared to me, you have been living in a gilded cage, protected first by your biological parents and then by your sire."

Harry wasn't paying attention to what he was saying anymore. In fact, he wasn't paying attention to Edward at all. He had stopped and was looking out the window at the forest, lost in his thoughts. Therefore, he didn't see when Edward moved from just inside the door. The vampire wrapped his arms around Harry pulling him closely against him.

"Harry, I could care less what you were. I just know that without you, the world seems to lose it's color. I spent the last three days trying to come up with a reasonable way of approaching this matter. I couldn't think about any, but Alice gave some really good advice." Before Harry could ask him what it was he continued. "She told me to live in the moment. All my life, I have been trying to prepare for what was to come. It's true that I wanted a normal life, more than ever when I was with her, because she was human and I didn't want to hurt her. But, I didn't love her Harry. Not like I love you. I thought that it wouldn't matter if you didn't want to be with me, as long as you wanted to be my friend. As long as you let me be close to you. However, seeing you with that human earlier, made me realize that I was lying to myself. I can't see you with anyone else. You're mine."

At the word mine, Harry started to struggle against Edward's hold. "When did I start being yours? I don't have an owner, Edward. I'm not a piece of property you can leave whenever you want to."

Edward released the brunette and nodded once before answering him. "I know that, Harry. But, if you give me the chance, I will make up for everything I have done in the past few days."

"Why would I do that?"

He pulled Harry against him again and whispered in his ear softly, feeling the other tense up at the contact. He could hear the wizard's heartbeat pick up and he knew Harry was reacting in the same exact way he was. "Because you want me just as much as I want you, Harry."

Harry relaxed in Edward's arms and took a deep breath before turning around. He met the beautiful amber eyes and swallowed. "I haven't had anyone special in my life, Edward. I lost my parents when I was a little over one. I dated my best friend's sister and that relationship didn't do much for me. My best friends betrayed me when they had no use for me anymore. I dated Neville for a while but he was only a friend. I don't _know_ how to make a relationship work."

Edward laughed at that even though a pang of jealousy went through him at the mention of the two people Harry had dated. "And you think _I_ do? Harry, the only serious relationship I had was Bella. Trust me when I say that you have more experience with this than I do."

Sighing, Harry nodded and smiled softly. "So, we give this a try?"

"If you really want to. _I _already know what I want." He nuzzled Harry's neck and smiled when he shivered in his arms. Though, he didn't know if it was from the action or from his body temperature. "I promise I will try not to judge myself before anything happens. Afterward, I won't be able to help it."

Harry smacked him and kissed Edward, moaning at the taste. He hadn't noticed, but in the last three days, he had missed Edward. Missed him more than what was possible. _How could a person miss someone so much?_ He laughed when Edward swept him up again and carried him to the bed, where he placed him in the middle and laid down next to him.

The brunette cuddle against him and picked at Edward's shirt. "How did we start by arguing and end up here? I mean, we-"

Edward made a shushing sound and lifted himself up on his elbow. "Alice is going to want to take you shopping. I suggest you start trying to come up with excuses."

Harry smacked the vampire, wincing when a shot of pain lance up his arm. "I have to remember not to hit you whenever you say something stupid." He watched as Edward took his hand in his cold one and brought it up to his lips, kissing the back and the palm.

"Better?"

"Much."

"Oh, come on. Even Neville and I aren't that stupid."

Harry shot up and glared at Draco, who was standing in the doorway with an amused look on his face. "Don't you know how to knock? The door was closed for a reason."

The blonde shrugged and glance at Edward before turning his attention back at his friend. "I wanted to make sure that Edward hadn't killed you. He seemed pretty pissed off when he was following you up here." They would have taken him seriously if there hadn't been an amused look in his eyes. He was having fun at their extent.

Sighing, Harry pointed at the door. "Get out, Draco. I don't go around watching you and Neville interact with each other when you're in your room."

Draco wrinkled his nose at them. "Blimey, I hope not. I don't want you seeing what we do."

Edward stifled a laugh while Harry made a noise of disgust. "Get out, Draco!"

He made a gesture of surrender and left, closing the door behind him.

"Well," Edward laughed, "that killed the mood." He saw the look Harry gave him and laughed again. He couldn't remember laughing so much in one day before. "What? You can't tell me there wasn't a mood."

Again, Harry made a noise of disgust, but he leaned in and kissed the vampire. He didn't care that he was cold or that he was a blood-sucking fiend of the night. He had seen worse. All he cared about was that fact that this was Edward and they were about to start something that would change them forever. Something that was more important than some stupid betrayal. As long as he had Edward, he could care less what Hermione and Ron had been thinking when they had listened to what the ministry had to say about him.

"You know what I think?"

Edward raised his eyebrow in question. "What do you think?"

"I think I can handle Alice and her shopping spree. You have no idea what it's like shopping with Draco. He is the most indecisive person in the whole world. So yeah." Edward loved the smile Harry gave him then. It was sunlight to his dark world. "I think I can take on Alice."

As if on cue, Edward's cellphone went off.

He sighed and dug in his pocket for it. Within seconds it was up to his ear and he was rewarded with Alice's voice. "Alice, I'm kind of busy at the moment."

"I know Edward, but you have to know."

He sat up, noting her tone of voice. The way she was talking, as if something had gone terribly wrong. "What is it, Alice?"

"She's back."

"Who?"

"Bella. I just saw her getting off a plane and into a taxi. If it hasn't happened yet, then it _will_ soon."

Edward felt his blood run cold. He looked at Harry and then cursed softly, something he hadn't done in some time. "Where are you?"

There was a pause, as if Alice didn't want him to know. "Are you-"

"Yeah. I brought Jasper along. I just want to make sure when she gets here. But, Edward, you have to talk to her before anything else happens. She has a right to know."

Edward nodded and hung up. He didn't even ask her how she knew that he and Harry were together. He met Harry's eyes and took a deep breath before he went ahead and told him what had just happened. While he hadn't loved Bella, he knew _she_ _had_ loved him. He was going to have to talk to her about Harry and it wasn't a conversation he was looking forward to.

"Edward, what's wrong?"

"Bella's back."

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**A/N:** Thanks to everyone who reviewed, favorited, and alerted: **silverdragondray, fifespice, Basill, Arfa, Yana5, njferrell, witch20, Mrs. Edward Cullen Potter, Flying Chrissy, Aria Dragoncrest, Cheska (x2), animaluvr123, beauty0102, XxScarletPhantomxX, excalibur's fire**

**Rista07**: Thanks for the review.

Cookies for everyone who reviewed, alerted, and favorited.

Song is "Slept So Long" by Jay Gordon of Orgy from the Queen of the Damned Soundtrack. The new song and pictures should be up on my profile.

I'm sorry again for the poll.

"Starting Over" now has **197** reviews, **185** favs, and **303** alerts.


	18. Interrupted

So, I know the timeline is already screwed up, but in order to make this idea work, I had to change more things around. As of this moment, everyone up until Seth are already wolves. Disregard the other wolves that came later. Thank you.

**Disclaimer: I don't own anything Harry Potter or Twilight related. The song belongs to its respective owner.**

**Summary:** What happens when Luna decides she isn't strong enough to start a new life?

* * *

**Chapter XVIII - Interrupted**

Alice crouched low behind the trees. She had a good look at the Swan residence and the driveway. Jasper's hand was resting on her back as he stood behind her, looking over shoulder to see if he could catch anything. Both could see the patrol car in the driveway and knew that Charlie must have been home. But, if he _was_ home then why hadn't he picked up Bella from the airport? It didn't really make sense.

Unless, or course, Bella hadn't told her dad that she was heading back to Forks.

Jasper sat down and looked up at his wife. "Have you thought that Edward doesn't really owe Bella an explanation?"

She looked thoughtful for a second before she answered him, sitting down on his left. "Of course. But that's not what worries me. She's going to want to talk to Edward. Try to start where they left off. Edward needs to explain before she starts hoping for the best."

The vampire nodded and concentrated for a moment, immediately pinpointing Charlie inside the house. "He doesn't know she's coming. Unless he can really hide anticipation, he has no idea. He does seem a little on edge, though." Jasper turned his head toward the road. He could see Alice's eyes glaze over and he knew she was seeing what he was hearing. The taxi was approaching.

Sure enough, seconds later, a typical yellow cab pulled to a stop right in front of the house and out got Isabella Swan. "Seems a little awkward." Jasper mused, watching Bella until she paid the cab driver and pulled out a suitcase. "Charlie just saw her." He could feel the surprise radiating off of the man as he saw his daughter in the driveway, but he didn't need his particular talent. They could both hear the man's exclamation.

"Bells, what are you doing here?"

The girl shrugged and let her father take the suitcase she was pulling. "Renée and Phil are traveling again. I didn't want to intrude."

With that, they both entered the house as if nothing was amiss.

"Fear. There's a lot of fear radiating off of her. It's almost overwhelming." Jasper didn't understand. Why would she be feeling fear? If she had come back to Forks then she should have been feeling nervousness or anticipation of seeing Edward again. Instead, there was so much fear within her. He had never felt so much of it before and yet, it was reserved. Like it was buried deep inside of her and nothing more.

Alice nodded and started into the forest. "Come on. Edward's going to be home in a few seconds and Bella later this afternoon."

Jasper followed his wife, hoping that Edward wouldn't do something stupid. His brother was prone to overreact. All they had to do was wait for it to play out. Then they could do what needed to be done. He was sure Bella would understand if Edward told her the truth of the situation. Who knew? Harry and Bella could even become friends. People with a mutual connection. But, he really doubted that.

~O~

Harry put his hand on Edward's arm. "Edward, stop fussing. Seriously, stop it or I'm going to hex you."

Edward stopped pacing and watched Harry closely. He could see the amusement in the young man's eyes. The corners of his mouth had lifted slightly, on the verge of smiling. He was surprised Harry could be in such a good mood after what he had just told him. He would have wanted Harry to throw a fit, maybe yell at him. Threaten to hurt him if he got anywhere close to Bella. But he hadn't. Instead, he was joking around like nothing was the matter with the situation.

Harry got up on his knees and reached out to his boyfriend, who immediately closed the distance between them. "Don't worry about it. Just do what you have to do."

"Harry-"

"No, Edward Cullen. Stop trying to make yourself feel bad. You didn't do anything wrong." Burying his face in Edward's neck he inhaled deeply. "She will understand. Just speak to her honestly. Tell her you're not straight anymore." He laughed at the little bit he added at the end.

Edward growled low in his throat and pushed Harry back on the bed. "What makes you think I'm homosexual?"

Harry raised his eyebrows at him and laughed. "Really, Edward. Are you trying to deny it now?" He waved his hand as if it didn't matter. "You're not straight anymore, that's for sure. Doesn't matter whether you're gay or bisexual. You can't be straight when you're going out with a guy."

The vampire laughed at Harry's logic, forgetting about what he had just been fretting about. It wasn't only a relief to have Harry. The man was able to control him with a single laugh. He had him in the palm of his hand and, in all honesty, he didn't want to be anywhere else. For once in his life, he just wanted to live and make this little human as happy as was possible. Make him enjoy life like _he_ was enjoying it at that very moment. This was all he had ever wanted; all he _would_ ever want.

"What did I do to deserve you?"

Reaching up, Harry cupped Edward's cheek. "I don't know. But it must have been something really bad."

"How, Harry? How is that possible when you're the best thing that has ever happened to me? Nothing good ever comes out of the bad and you're just that. You're good in every way."

"You're wrong." Harry kissed him, knowing that he needed to shut up Edward before he went on one of his guilt trips. He needed Edward to think; to ponder his situation. The vampire needed to have a clear mind when he went to talk to Bella. It was the only way he was going to be able to do what he needed to do. "You need to go."

Pulling away, Edward nodded. "I'll come back later." He gave Harry a final kiss and walked out of the room, his spirit lighter than when he had first walked in.

Harry ran a hand through his hair and looked up at the ceiling. A song starting to play out in his head. It wasn't the happiest of songs, but he liked the words that just sort of fell into place. The rhythms that went well together. He hadn't heard the song that Nick was composing but he knew it was probably going be a hit. They all wrote the songs. While he wrote most of them, the others had their moments of inspiration and when they did, their songs were almost always hits.

Sitting up, Harry summoned a notepad and a pen to him. He wanted to write them down before he could forget them. It always happened and he wanted to capture the song right when he was thinking of it.

_What happens to a man when he spills his heart over a page  
And he watches words float away then  
His feelings lie on a page alone_

_There waiting for someone who cares to read them  
To open their eyes to see them  
To see if they can make his thoughts their own_

_To find out that maybe your life's not perfect  
Maybe it's not worth what he gives away_

_You can see that this broken soul is bleeding  
So you can see your feelings inside yourself  
And wonder through my heart_

_Letting you see through me now only consumes me  
Forget your pain and watch me fall apart_

_What happens to a soul when he's trapped inside his emotions  
And all of these words he's spoken  
They bind him to the life he's left behind_

_And every new step he takes  
He knows that he might not make it  
To all of these dreams that he has yet to find_

_Maybe your life's not perfect  
Or maybe it's not worth what he gives away_

_You can see that this broken soul is bleeding  
So you can see your feelings inside yourself  
And wonder through my heart_

_Letting you see through me now only consumes me  
Forget your pain and watch me fall apart  
As I fall apart_

_You can see that this broken soul is bleeding  
So you can see your feelings inside yourself  
And wonder through my heart_

_Letting you see through me now only consumes me  
Forget your pain and watch me fall apart  
As I fall apart_

Harry looked at the lyrics on his lap and frowned thoughtfully. To think that this had been him just a few months before. He had wanted someone who would just read what he wrote down. Someone who would relate to him in some way and just save him. He may not have known then, but he could see it quite clearly now. It was like his eyes had been opened to what he had been going through. Unconsciously, he had been crying out for someone to hear him and help him out. A song writer to his public. And then, along came Edward. A vampire who, for all Harry knew, didn't even listen to his music.

Chuckling, he abandoned the bed and grabbed his black Fender CD-60. He sat down in the chair and started strumming, trying to find the exact notes he needed; the exact rhythms he wanted.

~O~

Luna wiped at the tears rolling down her cheeks with the back of her hand and pressed her foot against the gas pedal. The Mini Cooper gained speed. She was already 20 miles over the 60 mph speed limit and she was gaining. She couldn't even remember why she had come to America with Harry in the first place. She knew she had wanted to run away from everything that had been going on in Britain. Neville had been the one to convince her. He had lied to Harry when he had told him that he had found her outside his complex trying to talk to a car. Neville had gone to her and had found her in a depressed state. He had been administering potions into her since then, trying to get her to return to her normal self.

She had taken them willingly. She had wanted to be better. She had wanted to be liked; to be accepted by her father.

But, lately she had stopped taking them. She didn't want to be selfish. She didn't want to feel the jealousy she felt. However, she couldn't help any of it. She felt it all. Every time she looked at Draco and Neville she felt it. She wanted someone who could look at her the way Draco looked at Neville. Yes, she was only just going be eighteen, or she was eighteen, she didn't know anymore. Her father hadn't kept track of birthdays and she had never really paid attention to those things either. She was young but she had been through hell during her sixth year at Hogwarts and afterward……Afterward it had been unbearable.

He father hated her for what happened. After he had ended up in St. Mungo's, he had blamed her for her mother's death. He knew it wasn't her fault, but he had wanted to hurt her. All the love he had shown her throughout the years had been gone like the favor the people had shown Harry. He had wanted nothing more to do with her.

All that had been left had been to run away.

This was supposed to be the perfect opportunity to start over. She was supposed to forget about everything that had happened before. But, she wasn't about to.

It was horrible to live with all the memories. She didn't know how Harry could manage all these past years; how he could just get past all the death and destruction they had seen. All the people they had lost over the years. How could he handle all the pressures to be someone he wasn't? She couldn't stand it. She had even left her eccentricity behind just to see if her father would like her better that way. Everything she had done so she could start all over and still, somehow someone had managed to get past all the precautions they had taken and gotten to her. She couldn't even remember who the person who had given her the drink had been. She couldn't remember anything from that day.

Slamming her palm into the steering wheel, she let out a small sob, not because of the pain that ran up her arm but because of the stupidity of the situation. Why the hell couldn't she remember who had drugged her? All that came to mind was a mindless idiot of a girl she had had the displeasure of meeting at Forks High. That girl couldn't save herself from a paper bag. There was no way she would have been able to drug her without having to be told exactly what to do. It was impossible.

Why couldn't she be stronger?

This was the reason why she had been captured by Deatheaters to begin with.

She wasn't paying attention to the road; hadn't been paying attention for a while. She couldn't be bothered. She hadn't taken her potions that morning and the depression had started to set in again. It was only a matter of time before she reverted back to the state Neville had found her in.

It came out of nowhere. The huge wolf stepped into the road just as the Cooper streaked past. Luna tried to avoid it by yanking the steering wheel to the side, her hand automatically finding the horn. But she couldn't avoid the inevitable. The car clipped the animal's flank and at the speed she had been going, the car was sent into a frenzy.

Luna didn't scream. She didn't have time to. She saw the wolf, then the surrounding forest, and just as she was accepting the idea that maybe, just maybe, she was going to live through it all, the car slammed into a mile marker. Her head slammed into the steering wheel before the airbag deployed pinning her to the seat. The last thing her mind was able to process was the pain from the shards of glass that had flown inward with the impact. Then, it went black.

~O~

Seth Clearwater couldn't say he was the most adept at phasing between one shape to the other. Hell, he couldn't even say he was capable of holding back his anger. All Leah had to do was say something even remotely stupid about him and it would set him off. He had been practicing but he wasn't getting any better at it. He wasn't like Jacob, who could just try his best and he was good at it. He wasn't Sam, who was the stand-in-Alpha of the pack. He wished he was. Then his whole life wouldn't be so complicated. But, he could never be like Jacob.

On the other hand, Jacob and Sam had more problems then he did. As the real Alpha, Jacob was prone to making decisions before consulting Sam. Which, of course, set Sam off and split the pack up.

Jacob was his idol. He was the embodiment of all he wanted to be. Of course, his idolism didn't stretch to the point of obsession. He just wanted to follow in the other's steps. He was sure that if Jacob ever took his rightful place as Alpha he would follow him willingly.

He knew his pack mates had been listening in on his thoughts when he had phased before. With the exception of Leah, everyone was out looking for him; trying to make sense of all the trails he had left around the woods and the surrounding towns. He hadn't been to the reservation in a week, the longest he had ever been away. Sam had become worried when Seth hadn't returned after a strong disagreement with Leah. He had sent the others after him, but not even the best of them had managed to catch him yet and he didn't want it to be anytime soon. He needed time away from the others. Their overbearing presence was doing nothing for his mood. He didn't even understand his moods as of late.

Usually he was charismatic. He liked to laugh and joke around with the others. But for the last few weeks it seemed like he was missing something important in his life. He had seen the imprinting in the others who had done so already and he couldn't say he wanted that. It just seemed like he was missing something.

In order to throw the others off, he had changed back to his human self that morning and had stayed that way all day.

Seth looked up at the sky and grinned. He could scent the night settling in. The slight humid smell mingled with the cooling of the dirt and trees. It was a wonderful smell that mixed itself with the smell of fresh rain. The smell made him happy to be a wolf. It was things like this that made his day. The smell hinted night. He would soon be able to phase. The night would help him blend in better. The cover of the night would help him get rid of the others.

As soon as it got dark, he stripped, tied his clothes to himself, and shifted, taking off into the woods. As soon as he had shifted, he had been bombarded by the other's thoughts. Not something he had missed from being a wolf. He understood just how annoying it was for the vampire who could read minds. He pitied the poor creature. He couldn't stand having so many voices for so little a time, he couldn't imagine what it was like not being able to turn them off.

He was just clearing the trees, not noticing what he was running to when he heard it. It was the purr of a small engine followed by the car's horn that caught his attention. He turned his brown furred head just as the car hit his flank making him release a howl of pain.

He heard all the phased wolves in his pack react and he knew they were going to find him. They were going to follow his howl and if they hadn't already, they were going to send someone to look for Leah. Tell her that her brother had been hurt.

More than likely, she would panic.

Seth shook off the stupid selfish thoughts and ignored the pain. His leg was probably broken.

_Stay where you are. We're coming. _He heard Sam's voice in his head and took a deep labored breath. He saw the car out of the corner of his eyes. It was totaled. The smell of burnt rubber permeated the air and not even the drizzle of the rain could dispel it.

_I have to phase back._

_Seth, stay where you are._

_Damn it! Don't you understand. That girl could be dying. I have to check on her. _He shifted, crying out in pain when he felt the broken bones grind against each other. It was horrible to change when one wasn't hurt. It was even worse when his body was broken. He knew that Sam would be angry at him for not doing what he told him, but he didn't really care. He needed to check on the driver. He needed to see if she was okay. He knew he should probably just leave, before anyone came by and saw the accident. But, something inside of him wouldn't let him just up and away. It was like a magnetic pull.

"Hey, are you okay?" Dragging himself toward the car, he used it to stand trying to keep himself balanced without jolting his leg.

_Oh god, _was_ she dead?_

Seth looked at the girl through the shattered window and for the first time felt like everything was right in the world. In a matter of a fraction of a second it was like everything that had been going wrong in his life didn't matter because there was something completely right. His center shifted. She was it now. His priority. He had never seen a more beautiful creature. Vaguely, he wondered why it was that he hadn't wanted to be imprinted in the first place. It felt wonderful.

Remembering where he was, he grabbed the door handle and tried to pull on it, but it was jammed.

"I told you to stay. What the hell do you think you are doing?"

Seth gritted his teeth and turned to face his Alpha. "I was thinking about helping her out."

He looked at Paul and Embry. "Get him into the forest. Jacob, help me." Sam stepped around Seth and pulled the door open, holding it so it wouldn't close on Jacob as he pulled the blond girl out of the car.

Seth wanted to help. That was his mate in the car. He knew it was his mate. He had felt Sam's emotions when he talked about Emily. He knew what it was like from him. What he had felt, how his whole world seemed to have shifted to this one girl. It could only be that. He had found his mate and they were trying to keep him away from her. How would Sam feel if he was kept from Emily?

He started to struggle, despite the pain the jolting was sending up his leg.

Jacob put the girl down on the road gently and looked at the deep cut on her forehead. There were lacerations on her arms, but she didn't seem to be badly hurt. She had probably passed out from the trauma to her head. The more she would have was a concussion.

Sam crouched down next to him and took her pulse. "She'll live." He looked up just in time to see Seth break out of Paul's and Embry's holds. He staggered forward several steps and then collapsed on the ground grunting in pain when he hit the pavement. "Seth, will you just get to the forest. Anyone could come by at any moment. We'll make sure she's okay." He motioned for Jacob to change back into his wolf form. Other than him, Jacob was the biggest wolf in the pack. He was going to be able to carry the girl back to the reservation.

Quil grabbed a wallet from the passenger's side and held it up so Sam could see it. "I found her wallet."

Without even looking up from what he was doing, Sam nodded and motioned for Quil to take it to him. "What's her name?"

"I can't go through it."

Jared released an exasperated breath and yanked the wallet from Quil's hands. He riffled through it for a moment before pulling out the driver's license Blake had provided for her. "Luna Evans. Lives at 4309 Calawah Way. Hey, isn't that over in Forks? What is she doing out here?"

Seth watch with fear as Luna was lifted onto Jacob's back and then strapped down so she wouldn't fall off. _He_ wanted to take her. _He_ wanted to make sure that she was okay. All of this was his fault. If he hadn't been running away from the others this wouldn't have happened. She would be okay, making her way who-knew-where. He saw her blond hair fall over her face and he wanted so badly to just push it away so he could look at her. He didn't see the look that Sam threw his way; didn't see much of anything really.

"Found her cell." Jared held up a small phone and threw it at Sam, who caught it. "Take Luna over to the Clearwater home." He started flipping through the recent calls and found the name of a Harry. "Jared; Paul, follow him so he won't lose her. Quil; Embry, help Seth get there too. It will take a while, but he should be okay soon." When he saw them leave, he pressed the call button on the phone and took a deep breath. He hoped this Harry character was in the state. If not, he was going to have to go through the rest of the numbers.

He was happy for Seth, or as happy as he could be while trying to look after him at the same time. He knew imprinting was very possible for all of them, but Seth had just joined them and already he had found the person who would make him happy. He didn't know how the others would take it. No, not the others. He didn't want to know how _Leah_ would take it. Leah had lost him to the imprinting and now, he knew she was more than likely going to think that she was going to lose her brother to it as well. She just didn't understand how strong and how happy the whole process made them. It controlled them better than anything else ever could. Their partners were anchors in a world where they didn't have anyone else they could rely on.

"Hello? Luna, Blake wants to know where you are. He's going crazy."

Sam took a deep breath and walked back into the woods. Who was Blake? "Is this Harry?"

There was a pause from the other end as the person tried to make sense of who would be calling him from Luna's phone. "Where's Luna? What have you done with her?"

For a moment Sam frowned. Why would he want to do something to Luna? What were they running from? "Luna was in a car accident. She lost control of the car and crashed into a mile marker. My," he stopped himself before he said pack to the other person, "friends are on their way with her to one of their houses. She wasn't badly injured, just a minor head wound."

"Tell me where you're taking her. I'll be over immediately." Sam could hear the unmasked worry in the man's voice. Either Harry was Luna's friend or he was her brother. There could also be the possibility that Harry was the girl's significant other. He didn't know how Seth would react to that if it was true.

"I can't-"

"I don't care what your excuses are. Luna is special to us. If I find out where you are keeping her, I swear you'll regret it. Tell me where she is!"

Sam rolled his eyes at the threat. He would love to see this boy take on all the La Push wolves. There as no way he would survive that. "Look. Harry. Luna is going to be kept at the Clearwater's home until she's better. I called you to let you know where her car is so you can pick it up unless you want it impounded. Now, I have to go. There are things I have to do. The car's on the way to La Push." He was about to turn the phone off when he heard Harry's voice.

"Blake, do something. Trace her magical signature."

He blinked, frozen in place. What the hell was the man talking about? He had heard stories of people who could do things with just a wave of a stick, but he had dismissed them as just that: stories. Could it be that right in Forks there were other kinds of magical people? He really hoped not. That would mean problems for all of them, especially since Seth had imprinted on one of them. He phased, forgetting about the phone until it dropped to the ground. Picking it up in his jaw, he took off at a dead run, intent on getting to the rest of his pack.

~O~

Edward was sitting on the couch but he wasn't relaxed. He was as tense as he had ever been. All the joy he had felt with Harry had left him as soon as he had stepped out of the Evans' house. He had arrived just moments before, followed closely by Alice and Jasper. They hadn't even made it through the door when Alice was already announcing the imminent visit that was to come.

Esme, being the motherly figure that she was, had immediately order the others to clean the house. Not that it wasn't already clean. She wanted to be on the safe side. She didn't know that Harry and Edward had made up. She didn't know that they were more than just friends now. All she knew was that the girl Edward had once gone out with was going to arrive at their home later that afternoon and she was going to talk to Edward. The hours that had proceeded that order had been unbearable for Edward. Why couldn't she just get there? It would make everything go by so much faster for all of them.

Alice flicked her wrist and frowned. "She's coming."

Everyone present tensed at the news.

It was nearing night time and Edward just wanted to go back to Harry. He didn't want to be away from him. He wanted to watch him sleep. Keep him company so the young man wouldn't feel so alone, like he knew he was prone to doing.

Edward had just straightened when he heard the truck coming up the driveway. He took a deep breath and looked at Alice, who just smiled and nodded once. "Here we go." But Alice wasn't paying attention anymore. She was lost in a vision and Edward was afraid of what it could be.

~O~

Harry was frantic. He didn't know what to do. For the second time in so short a time, he felt hopeless. Blake, Draco, and Neville had gone out to get Luna's car. Before they had left though, Blake had assured Harry that all they could do was wait for things to play out. Luna hadn't used magic in a long time so they couldn't even trace her wand's magical signature. Nick had suggested blood magic and Blake had practically slapped him.

Blood Magic was a dark art and Blake wasn't going to let anyone in his household use it.

Leslie put his hand on Harry's shoulder and pointed to the couch with the other one. "Sit, Harry. We have to wait." When his friend didn't sit, Leslie pushed him toward the couch and knocked him down onto it.

Sara wrapped her arms around Harry and hummed one of his songs softly.

The wizard pulled away from him and pulled his cellphone out. He needed Edward's help. He would be able to help him. Before he could be stopped, he bounded up the stairs and toward his room, securely locking the door behind him.

The phone was picked up almost immediately. "Edward, love, I need you." He could feel the tears starting to gather and didn't make to wipe them away. For the first time, he wanted to cry. He wanted to let all his emotions out and he knew Edward was going to understand him better than anyone ever could.

~O~

Jasper felt the fear radiating off his wife and ignored the fact that at that very moment Esme was opening the door for Bella. He had never felt so much fear coming off of Alice. It was daunting to say the least.

"Luna's been in an accident."

The blond vampire saw the way Edward immediately looked for what she was seeing. He knew the signs; what to look for when his brother was reading someone's mind.

Edward saw the car crash Alice had been talking about. But what scared him the most was the fact that after the crash she couldn't see anything. She search every single one of her possible futures but it was like she had been erased from everything. There was nothing more of her. And that could only mean one thing. The only time Alice couldn't find anything was if the person was dead.

"Edward?"

Jasper pulled his wife away from the living room and soothed her softly, leading her up to their room. They had gotten too close to the Evans. Closer than they had been with Bella.

"Edward, we need to talk."

The vampire didn't want to talk. He could feel the monster inside of him react to her scent and he couldn't help but compare it with Harry's. Hers was strong, potent, capable of rendering him into a monster, while Harry's was soft, gentle, almost nonexistent, bringing out the better side of him. He wanted to be with him at that moment. He knew Harry was in need of him. If he had reacted badly to Luna being poisoned, he was going to break down with this.

He nodded and motioned toward the sofa. "Please, sit down." He ran a hand through his hair. "Do you want something to drink?" He glanced at her and looked away. She hadn't changed since the last time he had seen her. She looked exactly the same, expect maybe that she was slightly older.

"I'm okay. Edward, I know we said that it would be better if we stayed away from each other. I agreed at the time, but I've had time to think about it and-"

Edward's cell went off and he immediately picked up knowing that it had to be Harry. "Hello."

"Edward, love, I need you." He could hear the tears in Harry's voice and it broke something foreign inside of him. He glanced at Bella. "I'll be over in a second, Harry." He ended the call and turned his attention to the female. "I have to go. Something happened to Harry." He didn't care if she didn't know who Harry was. He just cared about getting to him.

"Wait, Edward. What about-"

He didn't hear the last part of her sentence, already out the door and heading in the direction of Harry's house.

* * *

**A/N:** Thank you everyone for your reviews: **silverdragondray, Yana5, chacra, fifespice, Mrs. Edward Cullen Potter, CHEEKY-HERMONIE, excalibur's fire, witch20, Arieru-chan, Basill, tashtash0, njferrell, 7sins7lies, beauty0102, zeo knight, XxScarletPhantomxX, animaluvr123, cass96, betweenlife, TIGGI1, Katsy17, cyn2100**

**Rista07**: She won't. Thanks for the review.

Song is "Pages" by 3 Doors Down -- Up in my profile if anyone wants to hear it.

"Starting Over" now has **220** reviews, **198** favs, and **325** alerts. Thanks to everyone. Cookies for everyone.

I was thinking that there are probably only a few chapters left in this story. I'll have to see. Thanks for reading.


	19. The Little Prince and the Big Bad Wolves

I had some free time on my hands so this chapter was born during Mythology class. This chapter gives you a little insight on what McGonagall has been doing. Enjoy!

**Disclaimer: I don't own anything Harry Potter or Twilight related.**

**Summary:** Harry won't stay and wait for things to work themselves out so he goes in search of Luna with Edward.

* * *

**Chapter XIX - The Little Prince and the Big Bad Wolves**

Blaise ran up the stairs that led to the Headmistress's office and knocked once on the door before hearing Minerva McGonagall call him in. As soon as he was inside, the door closed behind him and he glanced at the witch before smiling. "You called, Minerva?"

He had never thought to be calling the woman by her first name, but life had a way with ironies and he wasn't one to question them.

She lifted her gaze from the map she was studying and motioned toward the chair in front of her desk. "Blaise, there are things at work that we need to handle."

The young man nodded and took a seat. He had an idea what those things could be but, just to be on the safe side, he asked anyway. "You found Granger and Weasley, I suppose?" They had been looking for the pair since they had been fired from the Ministry but it had been like they had been erased from the earth. The only explanation they could come up with was that they had somehow discovered where Harry was and they had gone after him. Which left them in a very nasty predicament. They couldn't take the case to the Ministry. They were looking for Harry as well and they wouldn't work toward trying to protect him. Not only would they think that he really was recruiting people, but they would probably try to kill him.

"How soon can you have your team over in America?" It was answer enough for him.

"You know where Potter is?"

She smiled at him and stood up, pacing to the window and turning around, leveling him with one of her looks. "I pulled some strings." Before he could ask the obvious question she continued. "Mr. Potter is situated in a small town called Forks. He is well accompanied. From what I could find out the people living with him include his band, Longbottom, Lovegood, and Malfoy. They attended the local high school the last few months."

He nodded and looked at the map on the desk. However, he had to get up from his place to find the location on the map. "You want the regulars or should I take the others as well?"

She pondered the question. Who would do better in a situation under duress? She knew all of Blaise's team would be able to handle the situation, she just didn't know whom they could trust. "Take the ones you think won't betray us."

Blaise whistled softly. "Minerva, you really want me to take the whole lot of them? You know as well as I do that none of them would betray this mission. All of them have been kicked around by the Ministry just because they supported Harry at some point."

Minerva put up her hand to silence him, turning around to look out the window toward the Forbidden Forest. "I am well aware of the status of your makeshift team in the Wizarding World. I am also aware that there are some people on that team that would do anything to get back in the Ministry's good graces. Smith is one example. I would suggest you leave him behind unless you can prove that he won't say anything to the Ministry."

He nodded. He knew Zacharias Smith better than anyone there. The young man would do anything to get what had been taken from him. But he was just one of the many who had supported Harry at one point. One of the many that the Ministry had disposed of so easily. Which left him with a small amount of people who would help him out with the situation. Mentally, he was already composing a list of people while disposing of many at the same time. Minerva was right. If they hoped the mission succeeded then he was going to have to handpick his team and only pick the ones who had proven themselves over the time of their exiles.

"Dean Thomas, Seamus Finnigan, and Lee Jordan."

She nodded. "Very good. Start with those three."

Blaise grinned. He was sure the three would jump at the opportunity to help Harry once more. And if they were the only three he could trust then it would be enough because even after what the Ministry had done to the Wizarding world they would follow Harry anywhere.

"Are we to take Muggle transportation?"

The witch took a deep breath. "It would be more convenient. The Ministry won't have jurisdiction in America if you take Muggle transportation. An authorized Portkey would draw too much attention to you. The Ministry will question your want of a Portkey to America. How long would it take you to get your team ready to travel via airplane?"

Blaise immediately took every little factor into mind. He would have to talk to his people one by one and let them know what they needed to do. Then he was going to have to get everything ready for them to travel on the plane. Get the men briefed on just how the transportation worked. If they weren't so tight on time he would have done it without any thought, but they needed to get to Granger and Weasley before they did something stupid.

"Minerva, I have high security clearance at the Ministry. I could get us a Portkey. By the time the Ministry figures out where it goes it will be too late to stop us."

She glanced at him. "You're willing to sacrifice your career as an Auror to help someone out that you didn't even like when you were a student here."

Blaise sat down in the Headmistress's chair. He needed to think about that for a minute. His career as an Auror was the only thing in his life that hadn't been bought. Immediately after the war, he had bought his way into the Auror department, letting the money that belonged to his family silence the tongues that would incriminate him as a follower of the Dark Lord. After that, it had been all down to his skills and talents. He had made his way quickly up the proverbial ladder and unlike others, he had left his Auror-in-training status just months after he had started. He hadn't paid for a single one of successes, not counting the department clearance. But, what the Ministry was doing was against everything they had once believed in. They were willing to take out their Savior for fear of another war or another Dark Lord.

Harry had never given them any reason to believe that, but the Ministry people were fickle and would do anything to keep their power.

He nodded once and laced his finger together. "No offense, but the MBE has to be stopped. Kingsley has taken too many liberties with his power. I recognize that we have to take measure so no other wizard can have as much power as Voldemort had but to take the Savior and call him what he fought so hard to eradicate is beyond the point of explanation. Harry has done nothing but looked after this world and instead of trying to hunt him down like an animal, we should be celebrating him and giving him the honors he deserves."

She smiled when she looked at him. "No offense taken, Mr. Zabini. And I do agree. The MBE has been incredibly harsh as of late. My hands are tied behind my back. All I can do is agree with their decisions if I intend on helping those that are exiled."

The wizard nodded and smiled sheepishly when the Headmistress lifted her eyebrow at him and motioned that he should get out of her chair. "So you are still attending their meetings?" He went around the desk and sat down once more in the chair he had been sitting in.

"There is no other choice. I do not wish to destroy your career. If it eases your mind, I can have someone else take your place."

"No. I'll need about an hour to get the Portkey. It shouldn't even take that long. My security clearance can get me in and out before they even notice I was in there." Blaise smiled. It was one of the perks of being one of the top Aurors in the community. He had clearance into every department in the Ministry. He could come and go as he pleased and no one asked questions. They just believed he was on another mission.

Minerva studied the Slytherin in front of her and tried to find some sense of fear in him, but there wasn't any. He was confident in what he could do. He was confident that he would be able to go through with this and fool half the Ministry while he was at it. This wasn't the same arrogant boy she had seen roaming the school grounds. He wasn't the same rich boy who had had a tentative friendship with one Draco Malfoy. This was the person who would more than likely save Harry Potter and he was well aware of that fact.

Since the Minister's Board of Elite had been established, Blaise Zabini had sought out the one and only person he knew would never be corrupted by the Minister's ways. He had sought out Minerva McGonagall and had offered his help in any way possible. They hadn't known how to start and thanks to Hermione Granger they'd had people who were being put out of their homes and jobs just because they had once had some kind of relationship with Harry Potter. That had given them the idea of helping in any way they could. Hogwarts had become a refuge for all those who had needed it. Of course, the Ministry had no idea where the people they exiled were going, but it was only a matter of time.

"Are you sure you can't take the Muggle transportation?"

"Professor, that would take days to get together. Days that we may not have."

She took a deep breath and nodded. "Very well. Have the people you're taking with you ready."

Blaise stood, his hand immediately going to his wand. "We will leave tonight. Isolating Granger and Weasley is the most important thing right now." He didn't say anything else, just bowed his head in acknowledgment, and left, more than likely hurrying to get the other members of his team briefed in.

The Headmistress took a deep breath. "Merlin be with you." She knew that Blaise would need all the luck he could get. If this mission didn't succeed, he was more than likely fired from the Auror department. Not only because he was about to procure an unauthorized Portkey, but he was procuring one that would benefit Harry Potter, the Ministry's "enemy". It was all the Ministry was going to need in order to get rid of him as well.

She looked at the map and frowned. She hadn't told Blaise exactly where Harry was situated. She just hoped he had taken a look at the map. It wouldn't do to delay. As soon as the Ministry found out about the Portkey, they would be after the location and the person who sought it out. It would only be a matter of time before they went to America as well. With the Portkey in America the Ministry had full jurisdiction of Forks, Washington. They would have all the right of retrieving whomever had taken it and anyone else that belonged to the British magical community.

The Headmistress sighed. She knew Blaise had chosen well. Dean Thomas and Seamus Finnigan had returned to Hogwarts for their retake of the seventh year they had missed. The Ministry however had stopped their education. Thanks to the MBE, both Gryffindors had been expelled from the school, with no hopes of even finding a remotely good job anywhere. Lee Jordan had lost his job for the same reason.

She looked at the portrait of Albus Dumbledore. "This are the consequences of your actions, Albus. You trained the boy to be the most powerful he could become and now the Ministry has take it upon themselves to stop him and anyone he can befriend."

The man in the portrait looked at her and smiled. She could almost see that twinkle in his eyes. "No, my good lady. Harry is whom he is and nothing would have changed that."

"If you hadn't spent so much time manipulating his life, we wouldn't be in this position."

"I did what I needed to do."

She stood, not wanting to get into an argument with a painting of a person who wasn't even alive any longer. She needed to attend the latest MBE meeting and then return to her Headmistress duties. She just hoped that the MBE was soon disbanded.

~O~

Luna sat up quickly and immediately regretted doing so. The quick movement made her vision blur. Her stomach churned and she felt like she was about to throw up everything she had eaten in the last twenty-four hours, which really hadn't been much to begin with.

Blinking, she tried to remember what had happened. The memory of the wolf and then the crash assailed her. She laid back into the pillows and squeezed her eyes shut, trying to shake off the feeling that she was missing something. She didn't hear the door open and close, she just felt the bed dip where someone had sat down.

"We thought you weren't going to wake up any time soon."

She heard the voice and her eyes flew open. She didn't know why, but it made her react like nothing else had. It scared her. "Where……where am I?" Sitting on the bed was a young man. He was watching her through dark eyes and grinning from ear to ear, like there was no where else in the world he would rather be at. "Who are you?" The memory of the crash assailed her again. "What happened to the wolf?" She saw his smile falter and her eyes widened with fear. "Did the animal die?"

The teen shook his head and held out a glass of water. "No, the wolf survived. He's okay. Um…Emily said she'll have some food over in a while and until she does so, we don't have anything to offer you."

Luna was confused. She had no idea who Emily was. And what was she doing in this place? "No offense, but what happened? How did I get here?"

Seth could hear the sadness in her voice. There was a haunted look in her eyes that he wanted to get rid of. "We brought you back here after the crash. Two of my friend saved the wolf you crashed into. Another one brought you here to my house so you could get some rest."

She took a sip of water and nodded slowly, not wanting to bring about another way of dizziness. "How long have I been here?"

"Couple of hours."

Once more, she nodded and handed the glass back to Seth. She didn't know why, but she felt comfortable in his presence. It was as if she could forget about everything that had been on her mind before the crash. "What's your name?" She was genuinely curious about this one person. If she could feel more comfort then she was willing to talk some more with this curiously, happy person.

"It's Seth Clearwater." He offered his hand and smiled at her. "You're Luna Evans?"

She nodded and winced as she felt a pain start at her temples. "It's a pleasure to meet you Seth." She smiled as she closed her eyes. "You have a lovely home."

Seth laughed. He grabbed a bottle of over-the-counter medication from the bedside table and opened it, taking out two Tylenol tablets. "It's nice of you to say that." He put the tablet in her hand. "Take those. They should help you with the headache your getting. You hit your head pretty hard when you crashed." He watched her as she sat up slightly and put both tablets in her mouth. He handed her the glass of water and she took it willingly, taking a long pull of the liquid. "You should go back to sleep. Sam got in touch with someone called Harry and let him know that you were okay. As soon as you're better, you can call him yourself." He didn't like the fact that Luna knew someone called Harry, because he had no way of knowing if Harry was her boyfriend or if he was just a friend.

"Good. He and Blake are going to kill me when I do so." She winced and smiled at him. She didn't know why she wanted to clarify who they were to this stranger, but it just felt right to her. "Harry's my brother. Blake is my dad." And she knew it was true. Blake had been more of a father toward her in the last few months than her biological one had been in the year before.

The wolf reached out and pushed the strands of blond hair that was obscuring his view of her face. "Any more family members I should know about?"

Luna sighed and watched him with glassy eyes. "Draco and Neville. Both my brothers."

Seth hadn't really meant for her to tell him just how many more family members she had. He had been trying to make conversation, so he was slightly surprised when she answered him with the names of her other two brothers. "How big is your family?"

"That's everyone. Blake, Harry, Neville, and Draco." She furrowed her brow and opened her eyes to look at him again. "We're not really family. Blake adopted us." Luna watched his reaction for a moment. "We're from Europe. A while back something happened to all of us that left us with no one to turn to. I," Luna swallowed before continuing with her recount of what had happened. "We decided we wanted to get away from everything. Blake adopted us and we have been with him ever since then. A few months but it's the closest we have to a family; the closest some of us have ever come."

Nodding, Seth stood up and smiled down at her. "Get some rest. You need to get better so Harry and Blake won't kill you." When Luna smiled softly at him, he thought there was nothing better in the world at that moment. That little smiled brightened up his whole day. Well, not day, night maybe, because it was still night time. He closed the door quietly behind him, not wanting to cause her more pain. He would have stayed until she was asleep, but he didn't want to come off as creepy. He was going to talk to her when the time came.

~O~

Harry hadn't been able to stand just sitting around and waiting for things to "work themselves out". Blake, Draco, and Neville hadn't been back an hour before Harry had walked out of the house with Edward in tow. The vampire had listened to him when he had vented his anger for half an hour. He had soothed him when he had cried and let out all his emotions. He had even laughed at Harry's ill humored jokes.

Now, he was driving Harry to the site where Luna had crashed.

"Edward, you've been really quiet." Harry put his hand on the vampire's arm and smiled softly. "What's wrong?"

The vampire took his eyes off of the road and studied his boyfriend before taking a deep, unnecessary breath. "Harry, have you ever heard of werewolves?"

Frowning, Harry nodded once. "I knew a wizard who was one. He would turn at every full moon. He would take this potion to control himself. I met him when I was thirteen, he was one of my real dad's best friends." Edward noticed that Harry's voice had gotten smaller, as if remembering made him hurt. "He died when the Death Eaters overtook Hogwarts. He had just gotten married to the only girl nice enough to love him back. They had a beautiful boy named Teddy. In a way, Teddy and I are similar. We lost our parents before we could even remember them. The little boy lives with his grandmother."

"I didn't mean to bring up the subject." Edward pulled over and put the car in park. He reached out and wiped the tears from Harry's cheeks. "You don't have to talk about it if you don't want."

Harry shook his head. "It's okay. It's just that I was, or rather, I _am_ that little boy's godfather. Remus wanted me to be and soon after the battle, I legally became that. For three months, Edward, three months was what I was allowed to see him. I visited him almost every single day and everything was fine, until Andromeda caught wind of the stupid rumors that the Ministry started spreading around. I got to her home one day, happy that I would see him once more and she wouldn't let me get anywhere near him. She forbade me from seeing him. First my two best friends, then my godson, and finally everyone else."

Edward couldn't stand it anymore. He got out of the Lotus and walked to the other side, pulling the door open so he could pull Harry out and envelope him in his arms. He didn't care that it was raining. He just wanted to soothe the young man's pain away. "It's okay. After everything settles down, I'm sure she'll let you see him." How could anyone think that this creature, his Harry, could be anything but good?

The wizard gave a small sob and looked around. He could see broken glass on the road. He could only guess that this was the place Luna had crashed at. He hadn't been with Blake when he had gone to retrieve her car so he could only speculate. Though, he was sure Edward knew exactly where they were. "Is this the place?"

"Yeah." He smiled at Harry and pointed toward the mile marker not far off. "The rain has washed away most of her scent but a small amount of it still lingers behind." Taking Harry's hand, he pulled him over to the broken fragments of glass and crouched down, carefully picking out a small ring. He handed it to Harry and looked around. There was an unmistakable smell around the place. He didn't have to guess or to see just what had caused it. He knew it. He hadn't had the displeasure of coming across it in years but he knew it would only have been a matter of time. He just hoped he hadn't just started a war.

Harry looked the ring over. He pushed a lock of wet hair from his face. "Edward, why did you ask about werewolves earlier?"

"There are werewolves over at La Push. We have a standing treaty with them. They stay on their side and we stay on ours." He sighed and followed the scent that belong to Luna, but it wasn't entirely hers. He was sure that the wolves had somehow gotten to her and taken her to the reservation. She would be safe but Harry was going to demand explanations. He was sure of that as well.

"So this treaty…just where does the boundary lie?"

"We're over the boundary. If they find me they will more than likely demand retribution."

"Why the hell didn't you say that before? If I would have known about this I wouldn't have brought you along. Go back to my house. Just point me in the right direction and I'll take it from there." He didn't want Edward to get hurt, even if it was for him. He could take care of himself and all he wanted to do was see if Luna was okay. See if this Sam person was taking care of her. He just wanted to put his mind at ease.

Edward shook his head and returned to Harry, pulling him into his arms. "I'm not going anywhere, Harry. Do you understand? I'm not going to let you get anywhere near those animals."

"I don't like it when you speak like that, Edward. Just listen to me for once. You're one of the first people in a long time who wants to take care of me. It's a mutual bond, this mate thing. Just like you want to take care of me, I want to make sure nothing happens to you." He nuzzled Edward's neck and swallowed hard. "I want you to go back to Forks. Wait for me. I'll call you when I have seen Luna."

Edward growled.

Harry pushed away from him and walked over to the car, going around to the driver's side. "Which way did she go?"

"No. I'm coming with you. I may be able to point you in the right direction but you won't be able to find the place without knowing where you're going."

"Edward," Edward could hear the exasperation in his boyfriend's voice, but this was one issue he wasn't going to let up on. There was no chance in hell he was going to let Harry walk into La Push when wolves could very well hurt him. Especially since he was sure he smelled thoroughly of him. "Fine, but you're going to drop me off a block from the place and then you're going to wait outside that boundary until I call you and tell you to pick me up. I don't want to start a stupid war."

The vampire gave him a crooked smile and nodded. "I'll do what you say, Little Prince." In a way, Harry reminded him of that story character with all his inquisitive questions and the willingness to learn about everything. The innocence that was still buried in there despite everything he had gone through. All he was missing was his little rose. On the other hand, he probably _did_ have something that resembled that one rose. He got into the passenger's side since he was sure Harry wasn't going to let him drive anymore. "Where's your rose?" He lifted Harry's chin and smiled warmly.

"I don't have one. Unlike the Little Prince, my rose never existed."

"I'm sure you do have one. You just haven't paid attention to it yet."

Harry snorted and pressed his foot on the gas pedal. "Stop with the nonsense. I'm sure the Little Prince would be insulted that you compared me to him."

Edward grinned but he kept quiet just the same. He didn't want Harry to have another mood swing like he had been having lately. Though, when he was vulnerable like that, it was easier for Edward to understand him, he didn't like to see Harry so out of sorts. Instead, he concentrated on what they had to do. He wasn't going to leave Harry by himself, no matter what the man thought.

~O~

Sam paced back and forth across the living room. He hadn't been able to confront Seth yet. The boy probably thought he didn't even know what was happening to him. Seth probably thought _no_ one could tell that he had imprinted on the girl upstairs. And no one _did_ suspect. Well, no one but him.

He had decided that he wasn't going to join the others that day. They had gone running. They wanted to check the perimeters around La Push; check to see that none of the leeches had gotten by them. He heard the laughter from upstairs and groaned. Just how long was that boy going to stay there? Though, he had to give him credit. He hadn't given in completely to the imprinting. The one and only thought on Seth's mind was Luna's recovery.

A knock at the door interrupted his thoughts. It was probably Emily with the food she was supposed to bring over for them. He hadn't stopped to see her yet, but he was sure he was going to get scolded for not checking in when he got back. He opened the door and frowned at the boy standing on the other side of the doorway. "Can I help you?" He watched as recognition crossed the brunette's face and took a step back as the sickly sweet scent of vampire hit him.

"You're Sam?"

"Yeah, you are?"

"Harry." Harry slammed his fist into Sam's face and grinned as the wolf hissed in pain. "I warned you and you didn't listen, wolf."

Sam made to grab at Harry's shirt and missed the wizard by an inch. Anger clouded his vision and he knew he was close to phasing. He couldn't do it indoors. Sue would kill him for ruining her home if he did so. She wasn't very tolerant of fighting, especially if it involved the wolves.

Tackling the wolf proved more dangerous than what Harry had thought. It took him a while to pin the man down to the ground and when he had done so there was another male behind him. He kept his hand on Sam's throat and pointed his wand directly at the other wolf's heart. "Move, Sam, and your wolf pal over there gets hurt." He smirked when the wolf beneath him stopped moving. "Okay, now that we have that out of the way," he stood and dusted his pants, all the while keeping his wand trained on the wolf near the door, "where's Luna?"

Jacob eyed the wand and lifted his eyebrow at Harry. "How are you going to take the two of us with a stick?" He glanced at Sam who was getting up from the floor.

Harry sighed and ran a hand though his hair. "You know, for being shape shifters you guys sure don't know much about other species." He waved his hand and watched as Jacob took a step toward him. "Seriously. I just want to know where Luna is at. Okay, lets get the pleasantries out of the way. I'm Harry." He looked at Sam. "You're Sam. And you are?"

"Jacob. You smell of vampire." He turned to Sam. "It's what I came here for. We found a trail leading straight here. I could suppose it was him but it was stronger than the scent he now has on him. Where is your leech?"

He grimaced. "Really? You guys are wolves and the most you can come up with for another being is 'leech'?" Harry took a deep breath. "I don't want to start any trouble, I just want to know how Luna is doing."

Sam held up his hand to Jacob, signaling him to stop his movement, but the wolf wouldn't listen to him. He kept advancing toward Harry. "Jacob, stop."

Harry raised his eyebrow at Sam. "I may not know exactly what you are, but I have an idea of what that could be. I have heard stories about your kind but I hadn't seen a single one of you before today." He glanced at Jacob. He could see the rage in the other wolf and sighed. "Stand down, Jacob."

"He brought a leech onto our territory."

"Oh yeah. Sorry about that. But don't worry about it too much. Edward is just here to ensure that I don't get hurt. He is really possessive when it comes to me." He turned back to Sam. "Now, you were saying?"

Jacob wasn't satisfied with Harry's dismissal. "You _violated_ our treaty." He stalked forward, shaking violently from head to foot. He wanted to phase but was trying to keep it in at the same time. "You may not have known but your blood sucker did. He knew what he was doing when he crossed that boundary line."

Harry glared at the wolf, taking a step away from him. He didn't like the oppressed feeling he was getting with the anger that was radiating off of him. "His name is Edward, Jacob. Respect him when you're in my presence. I don't like it when those I love are insulted. Back your pal down, Sam or I won't be responsible for what happens to him." Sam was impressed with the young man. He was meeting every single one of Jacob's glares and he was standing his ground. He was a fighter; a warrior. "If you want to start a petty war over something as stupid as territory, Jacob, I suggest you do your research, mate. Edward and his family won't be alone in this. They have been nothing but friendly to my family and we will defend them. We have been through hell and back just to be where we are now. Unless you want to really take on soldiers I suggest you back down."

That was what worried Sam. They couldn't have these people against them, no matter what they had unconsciously done. Luna was a part of them and it would tear Seth apart if she picked her family's side and he had to fight against her. Seth would hate every single one of them.

"Jacob, go out and call everyone back. I don't want anyone pursuing that scent any further than they have done. For today, the vampire gets free passage."

"You can't be serious?"

"Do as I say!"

"Why? Because you're too much of a coward to take on a couple of lunatics and coven of vampires?"

"Stand down, Jacob," Sam barked, his hands clenched at his sides. This was _so_ not the time for Jacob to act up. "You would not understand."

"Try me."

"Oh, for Merlin's sake." Harry waved his wand. "_Langlok_!" He watched as the wolf tried to talk. "So much better." Before he could do anything else, Jacob shifted, throwing himself at Harry. Sam had shifted as well. He rammed into Jacob knocking him out of the way. Harry moved to the side out of harm's way, seeing his opportunity when Sam moved away from the russet wolf. "_Impedimenta!"_ The spell knocked Jacob back, giving Sam time to shift back.

"Jacob, Seth imprinted on Luna. If you value your life, you will stay away from the Evans family. I don't think he will like it very much if you attack one of them." He turned to Harry and motioned toward the second floor. "She's upstairs with Seth. Ask him what you will. He will explain."

Harry nodded, threw Jacob one last glance, and took the stairs two at a time. He almost ran into what must have been Seth Clearwater but stopped himself before he could do so.

"Who are you? I heard crashes from downstairs."

"Oh, um…"Harry smiled sheepishly. "That was Jacob attacking me and Sam attacking him. Harry Evans." He narrowed his eyes at the wolf when the boy sniffed the air around him. "My mate is Edward Cullen from the vampire coven in Forks and unless you want to end up like Jacob I suggest you keep your comments to yourself."

Grinning the wolf shrugged. "You must be Luna's brother. I'm Seth."

"Uh huh. What is this I hear about you imprinting on her?"

Seth's eyes widened and he took a step away from Harry.

* * *

**A/N:** Oh no, Seth!!! =D

Thanks anyone who reviewed the last chapter: **TIGGI1, silverdragondray, Yana5, EriKaBalDeL, Early-Frosts, fifespice, chacra, Arieru-chan, Bella216, stephvamp25, Mrs. Edward Cullen Potter, Pampers Baby Dry, 7sins7lies, Shadow Eclipse**

**Rista07**: The talk isn't going to go well. But it will come later.

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Thanks you everyone. Cookies!!


	20. Carrie and Hermione

This is the turning point of the story. *claps* It's finally here. I'm sorry. Had a little too much Dr. Pepper. Enjoy.

**Disclaimer: I do not own anything Harry Potter or Twilight related.**

**Summary:** Carrie picks a fight with Sara. Hermione makes a reappearance. Alice sees the past.

* * *

**Chapter XX: Carrie and Hermione**

Sara squealed and laughed when Leslie covered his ears with his hands to muffle said squeal. "Stop being so serious? Enjoy life like you're supposed to." When Leslie just looked at her she grinned and tugged on his arm, pulling him toward the book store. "No offense, Les, but you need to start acting like what you are. You're what? Twenty-two? Twenty-three? Let up on that seriousness. Joke around with people. Have fun. _Make_ fun of everyone else. Like Nick." With her free hand, she pulled the door open and yanked him inside the spacious bookstore despite his protests. "You're a rock star. Start acting like it. You know. Rock on." She laughed once more at the look he gave her.

"No, Sara, Harry's the rock star. We're just his band. He leads. We follow."

"That is _not_ true. I know for a fact that Harry lets you write your own songs. He also lets you sing. Plus, if that was true, why is everyone staring at you?" She grinned when Leslie looked around the bookstore and flushed a nice shade of pink. "You hadn't noticed, had you?" Turning the corner, she stopped and met her interceptor's eyes. "Can I help you?"

The girl shook her head and looked past her at Leslie who seemed to want to hide behind her so the girl wouldn't stare at him. "You're Leslie, right? Oh-em-gee!" She squealed and Sara felt Leslie's hand tighten around hers in reaction to the high pitched sound emanating from the girl. This was exactly what Sara had been criticizing him about. Though, to be honest, even she would cringe at this girl's voice. "What are you doing here? Oh wait, you're here to see Harry. Are you staying in Forks? Oh, we should get together some time. I'm sure we have a lot to talk about."

Leslie put his hand on Sara's waist and pinched her. It was his way of asking for her help. "You know Harry?"

She nodded. "We're friends. But what are you doing here? I thought Magical Sound had broken up."

"He's here with me. And I can assure you that Magical Sound is pretty much intact."

The girl seemed to have forgotten Sara was there because the look she gave her went right through her and directly at Leslie, answering her question with another question. "You are?"

Leslie snorted and tugged on Sara's arm. "Come on. Zach will kill us if we're late. He's not very good with the patience thing when it comes to some things."

The girl finally turned her attention from Leslie to Sara and it gave Sara a feeling of unease. It was like there was a hidden side of this girl. A side that no one had seen. "You are…?"

"Sara, the name is Sara. Now if you would be so kind as to let us pass, we have things to do." In her haste to get away from the chit, she didn't notice the look of resentment that entered the girl's eyes. The only thing she knew was that she was being pushed against the nearest bookshelf and she couldn't move. "What the _hell_ is wrong with you?" This girl seriously had a problem.

"Because of you Harry was rude to me when we first met. Do you know how much it hurts to be rejected by the one person you have idealized for so long? Of course you don't. You probably sleep with all of them to get in their good graces." She looked at Leslie. "What are you? The last one on her list?"

Leslie grabbed the girl from her waist and tried to pry her off of Sara but she was stronger than she looked. She wouldn't release her hold. "I don't think Harry would like it if he found out you attacked his guest," he whispered in her ear but not even that got her attention. "Let go of her. She hasn't done anything to you. She barely arrived. How could she cause problems between you and Harry?"

She girl talked then. It was more of a snarl that came out, but they caught the words loud and clear. "It's Carrie. Harry is more than just my friend. Don't you get it. If it wasn't for you, we would have been together since the start. But no, that first day he went and compared me to you. How can you be his biggest fan when he has me? Me! I know everything about him and more."

Sara's eyes widened, finally realizing what this girl was going on about and at first she couldn't believe it. She was fighting for her place as the biggest fan. Why was she doing such a ridiculous thing? In fact, why was she taking it out on her? That she knew of, she had never proclaimed herself the biggest fan of Magical Sound. She just went to their concerts and cheered them on. Though, now that she thought about it, she _had_ been to _every single _concert they had given. But that didn't make her "the biggest fan".

Managing to get one hand free, she slapped Carrie. The action gave Leslie enough pause to get the girl off of her.

"You know, it's not nice to attack people you don't even know. As to that Harry thing, how can he be more than friends with you if he's going out with Edward Cullen?" Sara whispered softly. She didn't want everyone knowing what they were talking about. Especially since news seemed to travel fast in that place. She adjusted her clothing and motioned for Leslie to let her go. "In fact, from what I know, he doesn't even swing your way." It was an outright lie but she didn't really care at the moment. Her eyes widened as the girl snapped once more and tried to get out of Leslie's grasp.

However, this time Leslie had a good hold on her and didn't let her get anywhere near Sara.

For the first time, Sara noticed the crowd of people surrounding them. She didn't think it was a good idea to get into an argument in such a public place. Knowing the way people were, this would probably be the talk of the town for some days to come. A local girl in an argument with a foreigner. The whole thing made Sara cringe. She didn't like being in the limelight, especially if they were only going to gossip about her. They would know nothing about her and yet, they would come to their own conclusions and _spread_ those conclusions to everyone they knew just so they could talk about something new.

"Leslie, we should go." She motioned with her head toward the door.

Leslie was all for it, but he didn't dare release Carrie for fear of her going at Sara once more. When it came down to it, this girl seemed to be slightly out of her mind.

"What have you gotten yourselves into?" Leslie heard Nick's voice and turned his head to find the man at the edge of the crowd. A huge grin adorned his face. He was amused at the sight Sara, Leslie, and Carrie made. It wasn't something Leslie appreciated at the moment. In fact, he didn't appreciate Nick's humor in the least. "Seriously, I can't leave the two of you alone before you get into trouble." He stepped toward them and eyed the girl Leslie was holding, frowning at her before lifting his gaze to Sara. "Who is this chit?"

Sara took a deep breath. "This would be Carrie, Harry's biggest fan and his significant other."

"Really? Then what would Edward be?" As he said this, Nick elbowed Zach, who had joined them having just made his way through the crowd of people that had started to disperse now that Carrie wasn't attacking Sara anymore. He wanted Zach to join in on the joke, but apparently that wasn't going to happen.

In turn, Zach glared at Nick and took off his sunglasses. "I called the store keeper over. He should be here any minute." And sure enough, an elderly man grabbed Carrie's arm and started to pull her away from the scene, all the while berating her for causing a scene in his store.

Sara took a step away from Carrie when the girl passed her. "I really don't like her."

Zach nodded and motioned toward the door with his hand. "Let's go before she decides she wants to start something else." They hadn't even made it to the cars when Zach rounded on them and spoke, his voice chillingly cold. "What the hell happened in there?" He eyed Leslie then Sara, who just shrugged and slipped her arm through Leslie's. "Harry is going to hear about this."

Nick rolled his eyes and took Zach's hand, pulling him over to his dark silver Ascari KZ1. "Stop worrying about what Harry will think. I'm sure he doesn't like that girl as much as she doesn't like Sara. Now, why don't you get in so we can go and eat? I'm famished and I don't feel like waiting until we get home. I'm sure Blake won't have anything for us if we _do_ go home. He's such a-"

Leslie snorted, cutting Nick off. "Just stop while you're ahead, Nick. I don't think Zach wants to hear your descriptions of Blake." He knew that when Nick went on one of his little rants, he couldn't be stopped. It was better to stop him _before_ he started. "I'm taking Sara back home. Unlike you, I have something planned and would rather it be done out of the public eye. The whole thing with Carrie will have people staring."

"And what exactly are you planning to do with our Sara? I mean, if it's not too much of a bother to ask." Nick smirked as he tried to push Zach into the KZ1 to no avail.

Both Sara and Leslie made a noise of disgust at Nick's words. "Nick, you really need to get laid." Leslie said, making his way to his dark blue Saturn Sky Red Line. He opened the passenger door for Sara and made his way to the driver's side. He missed the look of longing that crossed Nick's eyes, getting in instead and turning the car on. He waved to the other two and pulled out of the parking lot.

Zach however didn't and mentally made a note of talking to him before too much time passed. In fact, he made a mental note to talk to Harry. He would know what to do with the issue. Of course, it would have to wait until Nick wasn't anywhere near them. The man would be pissed off if he heard that they were trying to help him out.

"Enough, Nick!" Zach pushed Nick away from him and untangled himself from the seatbelt that Nick had been trying to buckle in. "I'll go eat with you, but stop trying to choke me with this thing." He motioned toward the seatbelt and leaned forward. "Don't worry about you-know-what. I'll talk to Harry and see what he can do about it." He smiled softly and closed the car door. "It'll work itself out."

Nick pretended not to listen and went around the car. His eye flashing dangerously at Zach. "Where are we going?"

Sighing, Zach pulled out his car keys. "Pick the place. I'll follow in my car."

Walking back to his car, he got in and inserted the key into the ignition when he felt something press roughly against his neck.

"Move and I'll kill you." Out of the corner of his eyes he saw a young woman with a mess of brown hair appear in his passenger seat. What was pressed against his neck was her wand. "Turn on the car and call your friend on your cellphone. Tell him exactly what I tell you."

"Who are you?" Zach felt the wand tip press harder against his neck and winced giving the car key a twist to turn the vehicle on.

"Hermione Granger."

~~O~~

Harry laughed at a joke Seth had just said and pulled into the only empty space in the garage. Frowning, he turned the car off and glance around. He found it odd that everyone was home. Supposedly, four of them had gone out to Port Angeles. Neville and Draco had headed out to Seattle. They couldn't be back already. The trip was supposed to be a way to get away from the rest of the family. They had wanted to be alone.

He sighed. "Um…Seth, pay no attention to the garage." But it was a little too late for the warning. The boy's eyes had already widened, as he took in the cars and the obvious contrast between the size from the outside and size from the inside. "Okay, Seth, can you help Luna out?" He winced when Seth nodded, still staring at the cars but making no indication of moving from where he was sitting. "Fine, Seth, I'll do it."

Seth snapped out of his daze and shook his head roughly, immediately opening the car's door. "No, it's okay. I'll do it. It's just that I've never seen this many cars. And they're so different from the ones we usually see. I mean, look at them…And then, there is the garage. How did you make it so……Okay, never mind. I remember now." He kept rambling as he got out of the passenger's side and moved the seat forward, taking Luna's hand to help her out.

Luna giggled and let Seth wrap his arm around her.

Harry threw the wolf a glare and slammed the door close, motioning them to follow him. He and Seth hadn't told Luna about the whole imprinting thing. They had agreed on doing that when Luna was better. But Harry had told Seth about the whole Wizarding world thing. Surprisingly, Seth had taken it pretty well. Though, he _had_ asked Harry to show him his wand on several occasions. Harry, of course, had refused each and every time he had done so.

He led them into the house and was about to take the stairs up to the second floor when Blake hurried out of the living room with a mess of cables in his hand. "What's wrong? Where are the others?" Harry asked looking at both Luna and Seth.

The man frowned and blinked. "The others?"

"Yeah. The others."

"Harry, are you okay?"

Harry looked at Seth. "Take Luna up to her room. She'll tell you which one it is?" They started to climb the stairs before Harry stopped them. "And Seth? If you do anything to her, you won't live to tell her that important thing." He returned to where Blake was standing and motioned toward the garage. "I don't know if you're lying, but all the cars are in the garage. So many people can't get by you without you noticing. You have that special sense about you." He opened the door and waved at the cars absently. "See, all the cars are here."

Blake frowned once more and turned to Harry. "The only ones I can account for are Draco and Neville. They came back earlier, said something about having a feeling of unease that wouldn't let them rest. I haven't seen the others. Are you sure they aren't off somewhere? I mean there are woods. They could have gone off into the woods or something. Or they could be in their rooms. Wait, are you saying I'm nosey?"

"Yes, Blake. I'm saying exactly that." Shaking his head, Harry pulled out his cellphone and dialed the first number in his call history. All he got was Nick's voice mail. He tried Leslie's and had the same outcome. "I don't think they would have gone anywhere without their cars. First off, Nick and Leslie never turn off their phones. Zach does upon occasion, but Nick and Leslie don't." He glanced at Blake and took a deep breath.

"Are you sure this isn't just your paranoia acting up, Harry?"

"I don't know, Blake. I just hope it's just paranoia and nothing else."

The man nodded. "Just relax. We'll wait for a while and see if they come back. If not, we look for them and see if we can find them."

Harry ran a hand through his hair and tried to do just what Blake had said, but he couldn't. He didn't want to think about it. He didn't want to think that this could have something to do with the Ministry? It was underhanded enough to come from them, but what if it was from someone else altogether? What if there was a third party involved? A third party that he had never considered. Who would hate him enough to take those that were innocent and place them in danger?

He watched Blake as the man went about trying to connect a DVD player to the television set. "We need to talk about something important."

Blake looked at him and gave him a small nod before returning his attention to the cables in his hand. "About what?"

"Nick."

"What about Nick?"

Not standing Blake's inattention, Harry yanked the cables out of Blake's hands and plugged them in where they were supposed to go. "The crush he has. That's what."

Taking a deep breath, Blake turned to Harry. _Why was Harry talking to him about this? _"It'll pass. No crush can last long if it's not reciprocated."

Harry gave him a droll stare. "Just like Ginny's didn't last. Seven years at Hogwarts and who knows if she still feels the same way? No Blake, you need to do something about this. Nick has been holding himself back since I have known him. He needs advice and I can't really give it to him." Harry watched his present father sigh and sort of wither before him. It was obvious that the man didn't want to talk about those things with Nick.

The man was young, younger than many would think. He hadn't been more than thirty-two when he had met Harry. That had been a year ago. Thirty-two and already his wife and child had been killed. It was probably the only reason why he had decided to adopt them all. He had wanted to feel the connection he hadn't felt with his son, to feel and care about someone else like he had done with Jason. The child had recently been born when they had been slaughtered. It was a wonder to Harry how Blake had managed to stay away from them at that point. If it would have been him, he would have run home to see his child. In fact, he wanted to run to Teddy and just hold the little boy. He just hoped that when the time came, Teddy would still remember him.

Blake sighed and ran a hand through his hair. "Okay, can you at least tell me the name of this person Nick has a crush on. If I knew their name it would save me all the trouble of talking to Nick. I could just talk to this person. See if they can gather the courage to talk to _him_." He watched Harry closely. "What aren't you telling me, Harry? There's something you're hiding. I know you. You get this weird look when you're trying to hide something from someone. Do I _know_ this person?"

The brunette shrugged and moved his head to the side. "I'm sure you do. He's very close to you. You could say he is a relative."

The man stared at his son and shook his head roughly. What was Harry playing at? He knew that he didn't have any living relatives. They had either died or been killed. Who else would be very close to him that he could consider a relative? That's when something Harry had said hit him.

"Wait, it's a he?"

Harry rolled his eyes and nodded slowly. He let out a frustrated sigh when he saw that Blake wasn't going to associate anyone with the vague description. He couldn't have asked for a more retarded father. "You want his name, Blake?"

"Of course, isn't that what I asked you for a few minutes ago?"

"It's Blake Evans." He hurried out of the room before the man could say anything else, not that he could. The man sat frozen, his mind racing with the new information Harry had just laid out for him. Now that he thought about it, Nick did act friendlier with him than he did with anyone else. No, Nick was friendly with everyone. He had seen the way Nick acted with Zach. He had seen the way he joked around with Leslie. It was something else with him. The way he acted was different. It was like he was a petulant child trying to get his attention.

Blake groaned and let his head fall back. Just _what_ had he gotten himself into?

~~O~~

Esme was cleaning her already clean house. She cringed as she heard the running footsteps of her son and husband. They were back from hunting and she hoped they wouldn't dirty the house when they walked in. She smiled. It had been a long time since everyone in the house had been so happy. Since Bella had gotten back, Edward had told her about him and Harry and she was excited for him. She had never seen her son so radiant before and that was saying something from her.

Edward had been acting different. He was happier. Though, she was worried that Edward was neglecting his feedings. He had fed once in the past two weeks and from what she had heard, it was only because Harry had demanded that he feed. Otherwise, he wouldn't have done so.

"Edward, Carlisle. How was hunting?" She smiled at Edward who nodded once and headed for the piano without saying a single word, while Carlisle wrapped his arms around her.

"It was okay. In a manner of speaking. Edward had mountain lion once more, though he didn't seem too happy to be away from here. It's not a guess. I know it has something to do with Harry. And if not with Harry, then something close to him. Where are Rosalie and Emmett?"

"They took Alice and Jasper to Seattle. Alice wanted to get a surprise for Harry. She learned from Edward that his birthday is going to be soon so she wanted to start shopping. Rose has really taken a liking to Harry. She wanted to help Alice with her surprise."

Carlisle nodded and took her hand to lead her into the kitchen. He knew it wasn't going to give him much cover from Edward's talent or from his hearing, but at least he wanted to give the semblance that he was trying. "Edward is uneasy. He told me that before he and Harry started their relationship, Alice had a sense of unease. Now, I _know_ that she isn't supposed to feel like that, especially since she can't see Harry's future, but she was positive that something bad was coming. Something that didn't have to do with us and everything with Harry. She doesn't know what it was. She just felt it. Now Edward can't get rid of the feeling that he's missing something."

"But what is it?"

The vampire shook his head and paced the length of the kitchen. "I don't know. The closest thing I can think of is intuition. It's not a talent but sometimes you can sense something before it happens. I would have to say that it's their instincts. Alice has become a good friend of Luna, likewise with Emmett and Neville, Jasper and Draco, and Rosalie of Harry. Alice was devastated when she thought Luna dead." Carlisle waved his hand absently. "They probably feel a need to look after their friends. It's the only explanation I can think of."

"It's like I won't be able to ease my mind until I see that he's okay."

Both Carlisle and Esme turned around and found Edward standing in the doorway.

Esme nodded quietly. She could see Edward's unease. It was written in his eyes, the way he stood with his hands clutched at his sides. There was a strain in his voice that Esme had rarely heard before.

She spoke softly, afraid of what that feeling could be. "You should-" She wasn't able to finish her sentence and frowned when Edward's cell went off.

"Edward, Edward. You have to get to Harry! Now!" Alice spoke rapidly into the phone on the other end. "His friends are gone. They're in trouble! You have to tell Harry so he can find them."

"Alice, what are you talking about?"

"A girl named Hermione Granger. She has a grudge against Harry and took his friends."

"Why didn't you see this before? Before it happened?"

"She's blocking me, Edward. Stop asking questions and get to him." He heard Alice take a deep breath and gritted his teeth in annoyance. "Edward, I can't see where they're being held. I only get snippets and what I see isn't any possible future."

Carlisle frowned, his hand going to the small of Esme's back as a kind of support.

Edward ran a hand through his hair and walked away from the kitchen, agitation starting to color his voice. He knew that Esme and Carlisle would be following him into the next room. He knew they wanted to listen in on what Alice was saying. "How are you not seeing possible futures? Alice, you're supposed to _see_ futures. It's what you do."

"I'm sorry, Ed, but I'm not doing so hot right now. I'm not seeing futures. I'm seeing pasts. It's probably what's stopping me from seeing the whole thing to begin with. Edward, this girl is powerful. Almost as powerful as this person Harry took down a year ago. It's not so much her power as the way she uses it. She's probably the one who is blocking my gift. I don't know how, but she's reversed it."

The vampire cursed, closed the phone, and took off. He could hear Esme and Carlisle behind him. Vaguely his mind came up with the thought that this was becoming a pattern.

* * *

**A/N:** Like I said before, story is almost over. Just have a few chapters to go.

Thanks to everyone who reviewed the last chapter: **TIGGI1, chacra, Katsy17, Lyall of the Rose, animaluvr123 (x2), Yana5, Arieru-chan, x8jessica8x, fifespice, Bella216, tigerlily08, Mrs. Edward Cullen Potter, GraySimplicity, stephvamp25, witch20, EriKaBalDeL, DoubleTime, XxScarletPhantomxX, darkfoxy28, beauty0102 (x2), Cabochon, choccream24, Flying Chrissy, Make war not love. war is fun **

**Rista07**: The family and the pack are going to get along. lol

**Morning Love**: Thanks.

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	21. Humans, Death Eaters, and Vampires

This chapter is like an intermediate, so please bare with it. Things have to be known before they can meet Hermione.

**Disclaimer: I do not own anything related to the Harry Potter or Twilight series.**

**Summary: **Harry figures out his friends are really missing with the help of Blaise. Afterward he finds out extactly who is working for Hermione.

* * *

**Chapter XXI: Humans, Death Eaters, and Vampires**

Blake sighed and glanced at Harry, who hadn't stopped pacing for the last three hours. He watched Neville and Draco out of the corner of his eyes. "Okay, you guys need to stop worrying. It's only been an hour. I'm sure they're somewhere safe."

Neville ran a hand through his hair and shook his head. "I agree with Harry, Blake. Zach and Leslie are too responsible to just go anywhere without telling anyone. Nick could do it but the others wouldn't. And we all know that Sara goes anywhere Leslie goes. It just doesn't add up." He met Harry's gaze and nodded once. "Something is going on here and we need to find out what. Four people can't just disappear like this."

"Not to mention the cars in the garage." Draco wasn't really paying attention to them, but he added his wise opinion too. He was looking out the window toward the woods where he was sure he had just seen something in the trees. He didn't know what it was, but it didn't seem to be there anymore, or it was hiding from his line of sight. "If they went somewhere then they would more than likely need their cars to get there. And if they didn't use the cars then they would…need… Harry, Edward just arrived with Carlisle and Esme." He wasn't even done talking when Edward entered the room and went directly to Harry.

Carlisle and Esme weren't far behind.

Edward grabbed Harry's hand and started to pull him away. "We need to talk."

Draco was listening in on them when he saw it again and this time he couldn't even mistake it for an illusion or a trick of the light. There was definitely someone in the forest and they were trying to hide in the trees. _Why were they trying to hide?_

"What?" That was Harry.

His attention was drawn back to Harry and Edward.

"Edward, slow down. I can't keep up with what your saying."

Draco frowned as he saw the robes again. _Okay, this was getting ridiculous. _"Nev, Blake, come with me. There's someone out in the woods." He hurried out of the room with Neville and Blake right behind.

With his wand drawn, he stepped up to the thick trees. "_Lumos_." He motioned toward Blake and Neville and carefully stepped in. He heard the running footsteps and took off after the person, intent on getting to him before he got away. He could hear the other two pursuing someone as well but it seemed like they had taken different directions from him. Draco threw himself at the person he was chasing and they both went down. He grabbed the hood covering the person's head and yanked it, coming face to face with a freckled, red head that he would recognize anywhere.

"Weasley, what the hell are you doing?"

"Hey, Dray, got Seamus over here."

Draco grunted and got off of George. "What are you doing?" He repeated, his wand still trained on the man.

George picked himself up from the forest floor and met Draco's eyes. "I can't tell you." He took a step back when Neville joined Draco with a struggling Seamus. Blake was right behind him. It seemed like the person he had been after had gotten away.

"You very well can."

Draco turned to find Harry standing next to Edward.

The red head remained where he was standing. Though, his eyes did roam over Harry and the vampire. "It's nice to see you again, Harry." He gave Harry a remnant of the smile that had once graced his features.

The brunette pursed his lips and glanced at his friends before turning his attention to the once Weasley twin. They all had their wands trained on the two ex-Gryffindors before them. "I could say the same thing George, but I have no idea what you're doing here. Are you here because the Ministry sent you, or are you here because there is something else going on?" When the two didn't answer he glanced at Edward. "Are you working for the Ministry?"

Seamus snorted, his hands were being held behind his back by Neville. "We wouldn't work with them if they paid us. Those stupid, good for nothing-"

Harry frowned, cutting Seamus off before he went on with his insults. "Then what are you doing here?" He felt Edward's hand on the small of his back and glanced at him. He hadn't heard what Edward had been trying to tell him earlier. Draco's abrupt departure had stopped him from doing so, but he had a feeling it was something very important. All he could think about was that it was possible that Alice had gotten a vision of some kind pertaining to his friends. There was no other explanation. The vampire was close enough to them to know what to look for.

Edward spoke, not looking at Harry but at the other two. "Then it has to do with one Hermione Granger." It wasn't a question. Edward had caught the fleeting thoughts from both Seamus and George.

"It does."

Blake's and Draco's heads snapped up. Their wands immediately going to the place where the new voice had come from. To say that Draco was surprised to see the person was an understatement. He had thought that he would never see Blaise Zabini once the war was over, but there he was, in all his glory, dressed in black from head to toe.

"What I want to know is, how much do you know about Granger? And how do you know what we are after?"

Edward glanced at Harry, who took a deep breath trying to keep his patience. "She has taken Harry's friends. Plans on using them to get to him."

Blaise nodded and stepped forward. "We were hoping to get here before she did anything against you, Potter. We didn't think she would move so fast. We thought we knew how she thought and what she would do." He motioned toward George and Seamus. "Can you tell Longbottom and your friend to let them go? I don't want two of my best to get hurt."

Harry nodded. "Two of your best?"

Draco held up his hand and shook his head. "We should move this to the house. How many more of you are there?"

"Four."

Edward could hear Harry's heartbeat speed up. He could almost taste his fear. He didn't have to be Jasper to know that fear was settling into Harry. He knew him enough to know that he would be worrying about the others. "Harry, are you okay?" He didn't get an answer. It was sinking in. Hermione Granger, one of the people he had considered his best friend had taken the people who were least likely to be able to defend themselves. She had had it all planned out. _What was the saying?_ You're only as strong as your weakest link. Well she had taken that link and she had used it to her advantage.

Swallowing, Harry nodded again and motioned in the direction of the house. "Draco is right. Call whomever else you have out there and direct them toward the house. This…this isn't something we have to discuss outside." Harry turned around and took several steps forward. He tripped and only Edward kept him from falling face first. Once Edward had him on his feet, the wizard held up his hand and exploded, not able to keep his anger and fear in any longer.

"What the hell were you thinking?! You couldn't have warned us that she was going to do something?! How long have you fucking known that she was going to come after me?!" He wheeled around and faced Blaise. "Just what the hell are you playing at?"

Edward felt the barrier around Harry's mind crack. Thoughts started to filter through and he had to stop himself from wincing as the thoughts assailed him.

"Harry, you have to understand-"

"No, _you_ have to understand. I _moved_ to America to get away from everything in the British Magical community. I erased myself from the Ministry just so I could get a semblance of peace and here you are again, probably following orders that even I can't understand." He took a menacing step toward Blaise who was immediately flanked by two people Harry hadn't seen in a while.

Ginny and Angelina watched Harry closely as Dean and Lee made their way to them slowly.

Blaise shook his head and slid his wand up his sleeve. "No, it's okay. Harry has a right to be mad. We should have acted faster." He directed his next words to Harry. "We had a suspicion when Hermione first disappeared from London with Ron-"

"Wait, Ron is here too?"

The dark skinned man nodded. "They disappeared from our radar soon after they were exiled from the Ministry. Headmistress McGonagall was responsible for that and I think-"

"She blames you for the loss of her job," George whispered softly.

"Again, you didn't find it necessary to tell me, why?" Harry was losing what little patience he had left. His friends were gone and thanks to whomever Blaise was working for he didn't know where to start. He could feel his magic starting to reach out from his core. He wanted revenge and the only way he was going to get it was if he found Hermione. But he would make her pay for taking four defenseless people just so she could get to him. He didn't think she could go so far but he didn't have any qualms with teaching her just where her place was.

Ginny took a step toward Harry and stopped when she saw the vampire step closer to him in a protective manner. "Harry, McGonagall didn't think she would be using magic out in the open. She hadn't even tried to trace her wand until recently. It was a mistake on her part, yes. But you have to understand, she's been trying to help everyone out at once. She couldn't do everything. The Minister's Board of Elite has laid off everyone who once had a connection to you. Dean and Seamus weren't even working for the Ministry and they were expelled from Hogwarts. She's risking her whole life to help you out. Blaise is risking his _career_ to _help_ you out."

The brunette shook his head roughly. "I don't want to hear anymore of this. I need to think." He pressed himself against Edward, who swung him on his back, and took off toward the house. The vampire could hear every single one of Harry's thoughts. He was angry. Angry at everyone who had kept everything from him. If he had known that people were being put out of their jobs he would have done anything to help them out. He wouldn't have run away from his problems and nothing would have happened to his friends.

"Harry, are you going to be okay?" He let Harry slide down and wrapped his arms around him. The teen was shaking. He buried his face in Edward's neck and didn't care that Carlisle and Esme had come out of the house with Seth and Luna.

"Who was it?"

Edward swept Harry up in his arms and walked into the house, his parents right behind him. "People from Harry's world. It seems Alice was right. Hermione Granger took the others to get to Harry." He set Harry on the sofa and straightened. "They think she wants to get revenge. Harry, I may not like the way they went about with the information, but this Ginny girl was telling the truth. They really hadn't thought she would be using magic out in the open."

Harry huffed. He didn't want to think about McGonagall and her truths. He didn't want to think that maybe they hadn't thought about it. He just wanted to get the others back. He wanted to make sure they were okay. Even if it meant trading places with them.

His head snapped up at Edward's growl.

"I'm not going to let you do that, Harry. We'll get the others back, but you aren't trading places with them. I don't care what I have to do to stop it."

The wizard nodded and turned to Seth and Luna. "Seth, can you take a sniff around the cars, see if there's anything unusual about the scents. Luna, show him what cars belonged to whom. Try to find their scents. I don't understand why she took them but the cars are still here. He looked at Blake, who had just walked through the door with Blaise. "Blake, we need an exact location of Hermione's wand. Trace the magical signature. Neville and Draco, help him out with that." He turned to Edward and motioned with his head. "Zabini follow me. Edward, please. The rest of you stay here."

"Harry, if you let us help Seth and Luna…"

Harry looked at Carlisle and Esme. He smiled softly and nodded. They were two people he could always count on. Why couldn't everyone be like the Cullens?

"Because not everyone is a vampire, love."

Startled, Harry looked at Edward and frowned. "Since when?"

The vampire gave him a crooked smile and led them to Blake's study, which was the place Harry had been intent on taking them. "Since they weren't turned." He laughed at the scowl Harry sent his way and answered with what Harry wanted to hear. "You lost the barrier in the forest, right before you vented your anger, Little Prince." He held the door open for the two wizards. He was surprised with the easy thoughts of the new wizard. He was even more surprised at Harry's thoughts. He was trying to be open minded about it all, but was finding it really hard. Blaise Zabini had never been a friend or an ally and Harry was finding it really hard to let the past go. He didn't want to think that maybe Blaise was working for the Ministry and had only come up with this story so he could drop his guard. But there was also the fact that Harry knew that Blaise really _did_ work for the Ministry. Just like he knew that when they had been at Hogwarts, Blaise hadn't really been an upstanding citizen. He had looked after number one: him. No one else mattered.

Harry sat down and motioned for Blaise to do the same. "Explain exactly what you are doing here."

Edward heard the frustration in the wizard's mind and watched him closely, in case he needed to get Harry out of the way.

"I already explained, Potter. The Ministry has come up with a way to stop anyone from ever joining you if you go Dark. They took everyone they knew that had a connection to you and started laying them off. At first it was only one or two, but it started progressing as the weeks went by. Granger devised the whole concept of the Minister's Board of Elite. They replaced the Wizengamot. Before you ask, the MBE is a select number of people with the Minister's approval. They decided what to do. They are the law and they are headed by the Minister himself. He is the only one who can sway their votes. It's not a fair concept, many wizard's agree, but it was one that gave the Minister power and showed him that the people were willing to trust him after everything that happened. People were scared. They wanted someone they could trust in the seat. When the concept of the MBE fell into their laps, they accepted it without asking questions."

Harry frowned. He vaguely remembered when the concept had been introduced. Hermione had been excited that her idea had been picked. He had heard her talking about it with Ron once, but hadn't really paid attention to it. It had been too political and he hadn't had a thing for politics. Politics were something he had rather kept far from.

"The MBE started looking for connections between certain members of the Magical community and you. They started with the DA, or Dumbledore's Army."

That piqued Edward's curiosity. He heard quite clearly in Blaise's mind that it had been Harry who had led the DA and it made him wonder just how much of the boy he didn't know. He had heard a lot of things from Rosalie, but it seemed like they hadn't even scratched the surface of what was Harry Potter.

Blaise took a deep breath and continued. "Hermione and Ron were only two of the ones who were left without anything. There were others, but _they_ were the only ones we were watching closely. They were the only ones with enough power to influence those around them. McGonagall didn't like the way Hermione and Ron were so easily swayed toward the Ministry's side."

"How is that possible? I mean, Ron was good when he tried. Hermione was excellent but her smarts were more scholar than practical. She could perform the magic, yes, but she was only top in our class because she studied everything that came her way."

Edward ran his fingers down the spine of a leather bound book. "Alice says it's not the strength but the way she uses it. The strategy she uses makes her as influencing as Voldemort himself."

"Exactly," Blaise stood and straightened his robes. "McGonagall said the same thing. Hermione has always been smart. Top of our class. First one to answer a question. Knew everything about everything. It's the reason why so many people didn't like her to tell you the truth. However, she has the capability of being more than she looks. Granted, her magic will never be as potent as the Dark Lord's was. He had years to perfect that little trait. You're the only one who came close to that power and from what I heard you had help those times. However, she knows exactly what to do to use what she has and make more of it."

"Potions, spells, charms." Edward ticked them off on his fingers. He really had no idea what he was talking about, but the thoughts were running rampart on the surface of Blaise's mind and it was starting to drive him a little up the wall. Harry still hadn't repaired the shield he had had. He missed the silence that had once surrounded that intriguing mind.

Blaise nodded and waved his hand in an absent manner. "Minerva is convinced of this."

"What exactly do you do for Headmistress McGonagall. Ginny said you worked for the Ministry and the last time I heard anything, you were training to be an Auror."

The wizard smiled sheepishly. "I _am_ an Auror. Finished the training process fairly early. The Headmistress and I have given shelter to those that the Ministry puts out. Many of them are staying at my mansion. In fact, Dean and Seamus are staying at a property I have in Scotland. George moved in with me into a flat I own in London, though he didn't really need to. Angelina took refuge at Hogwarts. There are others but they try to stay out of the public view. Outside of the Ministry, I have a makeshift team. Minerva gives us things to do and I lead them. You have gotten yourself reacquainted with most of them."

"What does this team do?"

Harry was surprised that it was Edward who asked. He had thought that his boyfriend could read the wizard's mind.

"I can, but he has so much going on right now that I can't make sense of it." He smiled at Harry and returned his attention to Blaise, who was looking at them with a weird look on his face.

Shaking his head roughly, Blaise shrugged. "We were responsible for the capture and apprehension of six Deatheaters that the Ministry had let go. Thanks to Professor McGonagall and other helpers in the Ministry, we got them into prison without the Ministry knowing of them. Of course, the Ministry doesn't know about _any_ of this, but they _will_ eventually find out. I don't think anything can save me from that now."

"Seth is coming to report."

Harry nodded. "Come on in, Seth." When the wolf was inside, Harry studied him for a moment. "Blaise, meet Seth Clearwater, my brother-in-law. Luna's mate. Seth, say hi to Blaise Zabini." He watched the two greeted each other before getting down to what Seth had to report. "Did you find anything?"

Seth nodded politely at the wizard and glanced at Edward before returning his attention to Harry. "You might want to come see what we found. Well, actually we didn't find anything you _can_ see but you have to be there to understand. I can smell it and the others can too…" Seth turned around, not waiting to see if Harry was following him or not, still going on about what he had found.

Harry shook his head and motioned with his hand to Blaise.

Blaise inclined his head and followed Seth out the study and to the garage. Harry and Edward followed closely behind.

Seth was still going on about finding something and yet not finding it. He didn't stop talking until Harry yelled at him which immediately made the wolf's shoulders droop slightly. Needless to say, Harry immediately regretted having done so. He knew the wolf was only trying to help them out and he had no right to yell at him, even if he _did_ get annoying. Not to mention the fact that Seth had actually found something they couldn't. It was only natural that he be happy over his find.

Harry clapped Seth on the back and spoke softly while Edward headed for his sire. "I'm sorry, Seth. This whole thing has me on edge."

Grinning, Seth nodded.

"Carlisle, what did you find?" Edward stood next to the other vampire, who was standing at the door of the garage that led to the outside. He was looking at the woods, a puzzled look on his face. "Is something wrong?"

The vampire nodded and turned to Edward. "There is. I just can't figure it out. We were wondering if Harry could shed some light on it. But first, listen to what Seth has come up with." He motioned toward the wolf.

Seth grinned at the vampire and pulled Harry to the spot where Luna was standing. He didn't have anything against the vampires. In fact, the little time he had just spent with Carlisle and Esme left him in awe. They were wonderful people, or rather wonderful vampires. Both of them seemed to care a lot for the Evans family. In fact, Seth could easily overlook the sickly scent they had and become their friend. He didn't understand why the rest of the pack didn't like them. They just seemed to judge them before they even met them.

"Okay, Harry, we found everyone's scent." He motioned toward the dark blue Saturn. "In the case of the people in this car, they got out," Harry watched as the wolf went through the steps of what Leslie and Sara had done. "They walked halfway then encountered someone that kind of smells like you Harry."

"Hermione?" Harry gave Edward a puzzled look and followed Seth around the room.

"I know from experience what happens when two or more people struggle against each other. Their scents mix, never really touching but entwining themselves." Seth looked at Harry and took a deep breath. "It seems like the ones in that car struggled with the person here. Then the stranger over powered them and led them out _that_ door. I'm sorry Harry. That's where it's puzzling."

Carlisle took over then. "Their scents disappear right outside the door. If they had made it to the woods the scent would be there, no matter the rain that fell. But the scent doesn't go further than that."

"Apparation."

Harry glanced at Luna. "You think she apparated them? The both of them? What about the others?"

Seth threw a glance at Carlisle and Esme and took another deep breath. "They were more complicated. It seems this witch wasn't alone. There were others."

Edward froze. His mind going through anyone who would want to cause Harry harm. There were so many people he had heard of just from the Wizarding world. How many more had taken a liking to hurting him? "Who?"

"Humans. Bella and an unknown scent." Carlisle saw the expression on Edward's face change. He knew the monster would want retribution for this.

Esme was edging closer to Harry. She took in his reaction, already worrying over him. "Edward you have to understand. We all know Bella. I don't think she would do this because she has something against you or Harry." Esme put her hand on Harry's shoulder and smiled softly at him. "You said this witch could do other things."

Carlisle looked at Blaise. "I know that people can be manipulated with these things. Couldn't Hermione, or whomever is behind this use them on other people?"

Blaise nodded. He knew that vampires had great hearing, he just hadn't known how great it was. "It's more then possible. McGonagall wanted us to come here to get her. Our mission was to bring her and Weasley in before she could cause any trouble for Harry. See, to the best of our knowledge, Hermione was going to take revenge on him for what happened to them."

The vampire nodded. "Which explains the attack on Harry's family."

"But there were others." Edward didn't want to hear the rest but he knew there was no other alternative.

"Who were the others?"

Carlisle met Harry's eyes and answered his question. "Wizards. However, and Seth agrees with us when we say that their scents are different from yours. Esme and I can smell your scent, though it's very faint. Even Seth says this. Their scent is so much more different. It's stronger."

"What do you mean by stronger?" Edward looked at Harry but he was taking in the different scents in the room. He was able to separate all the scents he knew. Everyone in the house had been through the garage multiple times. There were scents that were worn and scents that were new. It was the new ones he focused on and Carlisle and Seth were right. They were different. It was like smelling something toxic.

Luna put her hand on Seth's arm. "Corrupted."

Edward moved but he couldn't reach Harry. For the first time, he was glad Esme had made her way to him.

As soon as Harry heard that _one_ word, his knees had given out. He could feel Esme's arms around him. He turned his head to meet Blaise's gaze. The look he got from the man told him more than what he needed to know. There was only one group of people who could have such a corrupted scent to their magic.

"Deatheaters." It was barely a whisper, but Blaise nodded in agreement.

"It's not the only thing." Oh god, Harry didn't want to hear anything else. Who else could be allied with Hermione Granger?

Carlisle turned and looked out toward the woods. His son answering for him. "Vampires."

* * *

**A/N: **Thanks to everyone who reviewed the last chapter: **Bella216, TIGGI1, CHEEKY-HERMONIE, Arieru-chan, njferrell, chacra, tashtash0, animaluvr123, charlette sento, witch20, beauty0102, x8jessica8x, DoubleTime, Arfa, XxScarletPhantomxX**

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	22. Hermione's Actions

I'm sorry this chapter wasn't done sooner. I was sort of stuck when I realized that this is the most of I have written for a story. Here it is.

**Disclaimer: I do not own anything Harry Potter or Twilight related.**

**Summary:** Carrie starts to doubt Hermione's lies.

* * *

**Chapter XXII: Hermione's Actions**

Carrie glanced at Hermione and then looked around before turning back to the witch. There was something missing in the immediate vicinity, she just couldn't put her finger on it. She couldn't think of what it could be. But she knew that when she _did _figure out what it was it would turn out to be something extremely obvious. Then, she would feel like an idiot for not seeing it when she thought of it.

Hermione raised her eyebrows at her in question. "What's the matter, Carrie?" She couldn't stand the chit but there was no getting around the fact that she had been rather useful in the last couple of weeks. An incredibly valuable asset to her cause. Oh well, as soon as everything was finished, she was going to be as disposable as everyone else. It was only a matter of time before that happened. In fact, Hermione was rather intent on ending the alliance that very day. As soon as Harry found her everything would be over for all of them, Harry Potter included.

The girl shook her head roughly. "It's nothing. No, wait." She finally understood what was missing and just like she had thought, it was something extremely obvious. She couldn't believe she had missed it. It was like she hadn't wanted to see it. Maybe she hadn't because it would mean that there was something wrong with what they were doing and if not with that then with Hermione herself. "Where's Ron?" She frowned when the witch waved her hand in a dismissive manner.

"He's around."

"What do you mean 'around'?"

She made her way around the tree and waved her hand again. "He's around." Hermione couldn't be bothered with the location of her boyfriend. It wasn't like he had been very cooperative as of late. He had understood the vampires, had even agreed to having them help them, but he had freaked out when she had mentioned Death Eaters. Of course, Hermione only planned to _use_ them. Once her goal was complete every single person in on her plan would be turned into the Ministry. With Harry gone there would be no one to refute what she had to say. All she had to do was blame the gathering of dark creatures on Harry Potter. He had already done most of the work for her. He _was_ going out with a vampire already. It wouldn't be too hard to frame him for what happened. All she had to do was say the right words to the right person and it would all be over.

There would be casualties, of course. Not necessarily deaths, but losses nevertheless. Ron would have to be blamed as well, but it was for his own good and she couldn't get around that. He couldn't look at the big picture that she had. He was obsessed with the smaller units.

"What am I supposed to do with Bella?"

Hermione shrugged, not really caring what happened to the human. "Tie her up somewhere. She served her purpose, really badly mind you, but she did."

"That's all you brought her here for?"

The witch was starting to get annoyed with the human. _Why was she asking so many questions that she already knew the answers to? _"I needed her to distract the vampire and she did a poor job at it. Though, I must command you for taking her with you when you went after Nickolahs. The vampire will be wrapped up in wanting revenge. There is a possibility that he will be looking for her when he comes."

Carrie frowned. She honestly hadn't even thought about that. She had just thought that she would want some company in complying with Hermione's orders. But she would take the compliment Hermione was handing her. It wasn't like she wasn't doing anything to help her and the witch hadn't complimented her any other time. "So, what do we do now?"

Hermione apparated from the foot of the tree to a branch high over Carrie's head. "We wait. Though, it won't be for much longer. They are probably trying to find us already." She made herself comfortable on the thick branch and looked up though the tree tops. She closed her eyes and focused on the rain falling softly against her face. "The others should be here soon."

"And the vampires?"

Hermione laughed at that. The vampires. What could she say about that? They were so easy to manipulate. They let their need for revenge get in the way, their need to kill and feed. "They are going to do something else for us. Trust me; they won't be here when Harry and the others arrive. Though, what they will be doing is just as important as what's going to happen here." She placed her hands on her stomach before speaking up again. "You _do_ know that after Harry is pulled away from them he will be able to return to his life? That vampire messed with his mind. He has made Harry believe that he's in love with him. We have to get Harry away from those influences. You do want to be with Harry, right?"

She could hear the girl shuffling around and wondered just how far Carrie was willing to go to get Harry "back". Though, she had to admit, the fact that Harry was with a male vampire piqued her curiosity. In the Wizarding world, she hadn't heard anything about Harry having homosexual tendencies. There had been no signs of it during their Hogwarts years and then, of course, she hadn't really paid much attention to him after he had left the flat he had shared with Ron. He had just seemed to drop off the proverbial radar. She had heard rumors that he had been involved with music. There had also been rumors that a label had been helping him produce the albums. All of them had been rumors, but it would certainly explain how he had managed to gain so much fame in such a short period of time. She knew that in the Wizarding world, the first album was a like a test. It tested the waters with the public, gave the people a taste of the music, even if the music wasn't that good to begin with. She just had to find out how Harry's band had produced so many in one year.

As soon as she was finished in Forks, she would have to look into it. She couldn't very well let people who helped Harry Potter get away with their deeds. The Ministry hadn't given _her_ any leniency and she had done so many things for them. She had helped the Minister keep his seat and restore his power and yet, he had been able to dispose of her so easily.

"Are you sure about Harry?"

"Are you doubting me?" Hermione rolled her eyes. If she was Carrie she would doubt herself. Only a girl like Carrie would think the whole "Harry is being manipulated" thing was true. She was too easy to manipulate.

"No, it's just that… Did Harry ever have a relationship like the one that he has now with Edward?"

Hermione could hear the hesitation in her voice. Sitting up, she looked down at Carrie and narrowed her eyes at her. The girl was starting to question her, question what she had told her before. How exciting. She was starting to catch up with the lies Hermione had been weaving around her since the very beginning. It had taken her a while, but the witch could see the shadows of doubt in her eyes.

"You _are_ doubting me. Why is that, Carrie? Have you seen anything that might tell you that I'm lying to you about all this?"

The girl shrugged and slid her hands into the pockets of her pants. She didn't want to sound disrespectful toward Hermione, but she really _was_ starting to doubt her. Since she had known Hermione, she hadn't been anywhere without Ron. Why, then, was she not caring where her boyfriend was at that moment? She had to have done something to him. But then, things _did_ seem to be going like she was saying. The others did seem to take advantage of Harry.

All she had to do was look at what they had been doing. They _were_ all living at Harry's house, taking advantage that he _had_ a big house so they wouldn't spend any money on it themselves. "Of course not, Hermione. I was only worried about all this. It seems too easy to lure them in into the trap."

"Don't worry about. Now, go check up on the others. Make sure they're all unconscious. If they're not, give them the potions I showed you earlier."

Carrie nodded and left before Hermione could come up with anything else. She _was_ worried. She honestly didn't want to find that Harry was mad at her for joining in on Hermione's plan. She wanted him to be thankful about it. She was doing him a favor.

She sighed and ran a hand through her hair. _Great, it was getting worse with the rain._

~~O~~

"I want to go with them."

"Harry said not to let you out of the house."

Luna frowned and pushed past Seth. She didn't want to hear Harry's orders coming from this practical stranger. She wanted Harry to come tell her for himself. After he had gotten the information in the garage, he had isolated her in her room, not wanting her to get stressed over something that "would be resolved soon". She knew Harry was lying to her. How could she not? Thanks to Seth they knew what had happened to the others. She had heard Harry say "Death Eaters". _Why was he trying to keep her in the dark?_

Seth frowned and pulled her to a stop. "Luna, what's wrong?"

"I just… I want to know why Harry is trying to keep me out of this."

"He's trying to look after you?"

Luna shook her head and for a moment, she wanted to be that girl Harry had met in fifth year. She wanted to just sit and read her father's magazine, caring about nothing in particular. She pushed Seth away and combed her fingers through her hair.

"No, Seth. Harry is trying to keep me away from all this. After everything we have gone through he thinks I can't help him. I helped in the war. I helped with the DA. I'm just as good as any of them. Why doesn't he isolate Edward? He hasn't proven himself to Harry yet. He hasn't done anything to do so." She couldn't shake the sense of incompetence that was starting to fill her.

Seth could feel his heart breaking. He didn't want to see Luna like this, especially since she was partly right. Harry didn't have a right to keep her away when the others were her friends as well, but he couldn't say that to her. It would only fuel her anger. "Baby, think about it rationally, okay. You were in an accident. You had to stay in bed for a couple of days. Before that, Harry tells me you were poisoned, which in my opinion is kind of reckless on their part. And I'm sure you didn't mean that about Edward. He's a great…" He searched for the right word, "guy and he loves Harry just as much as you do." He pulled her into his arms and held her tightly. He could feel her small body wracking with sobs.

The wolf made soothing sounds, his hand at the nape of neck massaging gently. "Are you going to be okay?"

He felt her nod and he had to smile gently. "I think so, but I still want to go with Harry. I would never forgive myself if something happened to them." He led her to the bed and sat her down before heading to get her two Tylenol capsules. Which he handed her with a half-glass of water. "They are my family. Blake is my dad. Harry, Neville, and Draco my brothers. I can't lose them."

"And you won't. Harry will know what to do. He'll have Edward to back him up. Just relax, Luna. They will be back before you know it." He climbed onto the bed and wrapped Luna in his arms.

"You're a stranger, Seth. I've known you for all of two days. Why do you feel you have to look after me?" Her voice was muffled but Seth could hear her clearly.

Taking a deep breath, he tightened his hold on her instead of answering. He didn't think it was time for him to tell her about the whole imprinting thing. It would just give her one more thing to worry about. Right now, she needed to remain calm.

~~O~~

Harry ran up the stairs and into his room. He had left the others downstairs waiting. Blake had found Hermione's location with Neville's and Draco's help. Now all Harry had to do was try and talk some sense into her. Despite everything she had done to him, he didn't want to hurt her. She had been his friend for many years and he couldn't forget about that.

He threw open the door and went straight to his desk, where he pulled out the top drawer. He paused, looking down at the only thing in it. He caressed the black velvet covered box with one finger and sighed before pulling it out. The last time he had used his wand had been against a shape shifter, two days before. Before that he hadn't used his wand in a while. He had been surprised he had still been able to remember how to use it. Though, to be honest, he didn't think he could forget everything that had been ingrained into him for years, even after a lifetime of no use.

He flipped the lid on the box and pulled out his holly and phoenix feather wand. He had come so close to losing it.

It took him a moment to realize that he would have to hide or store it somewhere until he needed it.

Grabbing a jacket from his closet and putting it on, he rolled up the sleeve and strapped on the wand holster to his arm. He returned to his desk and picked up his wand gently. It had been some time since he had used the holster but it felt almost like an extension of his body. The last time he had used it being the last time he had gone after a Death Eater, the day he had met Blake Clayton Evans. He didn't notice the small amount of weight the holster added to his arm. It was almost nonexistent.

Without even thinking of the process, he slid his wand into place and rolled down the jacket's sleeve. He turned around to find Edward at the door watching him intently. He was surprised. He had thought his boyfriend waiting with the others downstairs. At least, he hadn't made a move toward Harry since they had found out that Death Eaters were working with Hermione.

Harry didn't know what he had done wrong, he just knew that it was causing a conflict within Edward.

Edward stepped toward Harry and grabbed the arm that held the holster. He yanked up the sleeve and studied it for a long moment without saying anything to him.

"Edward?"

The vampire growled softly and let go of Harry's arm before stalking out of the room. His heard, rather than felt, his phone vibrate and took it out, glancing at the name before answering. "Alice?"

"We're coming home, Ed."

A sense of elation went through him at that. He didn't want to leave Luna and Seth without protection while they were out. Who knew what the vampires were going to do? And it would kill Harry if something happened to them. "Can you guys do me a favor?"

"What is it, Edward?" This wasn't Alice. He was sure Rosalie had taken the phone away from her at some point in the last five seconds.

"The vampire knew that every single one of the vampires near her would hear his request and he was thankful that it was the case. He didn't think he had time to ask her and then have her relay the message to the others. In fact, the rest of Harry's old colleagues were afraid that they had already taken too much time as it was. They didn't know what Hermione was capable of. This wasn't the same girl they had dealt with in Britain. She had changed and they didn't want to take so many chances.

"I need you to look after Luna and Seth."

Alice had already surmised as much and Rosalie wondered just how much of a brainwave Edward and Alice shared. What scared Rosalie was that Alice didn't know how Hermione had managed to change her visions but the whole ordeal unnerved the vampire. This had never happened to her and she was lost. She relied on her visions to get through her day most of the time. This was a new experience for her.

"Are they going to stay at Harry's house?"

Edward took a deep breath and stopped right at the top of the stairs. He was aware of Harry standing right behind him. "Yeah, Carlisle and Esme are going to stay, despite what they say about it. Every point has to be taken care of and since we don't know what way the vampires are going to attack from, we have to have them protected as well. We can only guess their numbers. Just in case. Has Alice been able to see anything?"

"Nothing. Just things that already happened." Edward heard the phone being wrestled from Rosalie and the next person who spoke into the device was Alice.

"Talk to him, Edward."

The statement confused Edward and it took him several seconds to make sense of it. "Alice, don't…not right now."

"Yes, Edward. Right now. He's starting to feel insecure about himself. I may not be able to read minds like you, Edward, but I just saw what happened in the garage. If I know him the way I think I do, he thinks he did something wrong to you. You can't have him thinking like that if you're going into a fight. And Rosalie said she would kill you if you didn't make it right before you left the house."

The vampire sighed and closed the phone just as Harry pushed past him. All he managed to do was make a grab for his arm, which successfully got Harry to stop but almost fall at the same time.

Harry turned to glare at him through misted green eyes. "You're right, Edward. Right now is not the time for this."

"I'm sorry." He pulled Harry against him and wrapped his arms tightly around the wizard. "I just don't want to lose you. I never thought I would find someone like you and we've only known each other for such a short time. I don't think I would be able to stand losing you so soon."

"That doesn't give you the right to just push me away when you want to. You wouldn't even have apologized if Alice hadn't asked you to, if Rose hadn't threatened you. How do you think _I _feel?" Harry tried to push Edward away. He really didn't have time for this. He wanted to find the others. He didn't know what Hermione was going to do to them.

Edward buried his face in Harry's neck and took a deep breath, taking in his scent. He wished Harry had left the barrier around his mind down. He would have really wanted to have a hint as to what he was thinking. It would have made the whole thing so much easier. "Harry, please?"

Harry went pliant in Edward's arm and took a deep breath. He could feel the vampire's cool breath against his skin and it was wreaking havoc on his senses. Not a good time for it. There were other things that needed to be done and none of them included what Edward was doing to him at that moment. "Edward, we'll talk about this later. First the others."

The vampire heard the breathlessness with which Harry said that and couldn't help the small smile from grazing his features. "I just want you to be careful."

"Will you be there?"

Harry felt the vampire's arms tighten slightly. "Of course, that's not debatable."

"Then, I'll be just fine."

With that, the vampire released him and moved aside so Harry could pass. He followed closely, not wanting Harry to get the wrong impression again. Alice was right. Harry needed to go into this with as clear a head as possible.

~~O~~

Hermione sat up as she felt the wards around the part of the forest she was inhabiting flicker and die. She smiled and glanced out of the corner of her eyes at the Death Eater next to her. She could feel his eyes on her and even though it unnerved her, she was willing to put up with the discomfort if it meant getting to Harry. She would do anything if it meant getting to Harry.

She glanced at Carrie and gave her a slight nod before turning away. Though the girl wasn't magically gifted in any way, she was going to be of great help by keeping Harry's friends quiet.

Carrie took off in the direction of the others.

"Take your Death Eaters and follow the plan. If they get by you, have someone tell me."

"What will you be doing?"

Hermione glared at the man hiding behind the mask. "I will be waiting for Harry to get past you. I don't doubt that your incompetence will let him get by this time."

"I don't know why I'm working for you, Mudblood. There was one time when I would have never fraternized with your filthy kind."

She got up from the forest floor and ran a hand though her hair. "Look at it this way, you're not working for me, you're working to get back at the person who destroyed your Lord. This is so you can take your revenge." She waved her hand at him in a dismissive manner that she knew would anger the man. "Now go and do what you must."

She didn't watch the other man leave. Instead, she turned her attention back to the wards that she had placed around Harry's friends. She wasn't going to hurt them, at least, she didn't think she would need them. But she would never know until things got there to her.

Taking out a small radio, she brought it up to her mouth. "Take your vampires and check the house, if you don't find anything, join us over here." She didn't expect a response and wasn't disappointed when she didn't get one.

The arrogance of vampires was going to end up destroying them one day.

~~O~~

The vampire at the other end of Hermione's radio growled softly. She didn't like being ordered around by a stupid human girl. She would much rather feed off of her and was only putting up with the witch because she wanted her revenge on the vampire coven that had killed James.

Victoria smiled and stalked toward the huge house. The witch had been wrong. There _was_ life in that house and she intended to snuff it out before the day was out. All she needed to do was get rid of the two vampires in her way. This was going to be a very enjoyable revenge. She was going to get back at the Cullen coven by killing those whom they held near.

~~O~~

Seth lifted his face from his arm and frowned. His senses went on alert. He could hear the vampires moving about downstairs doing the same thing he was. But that wasn't what had gotten his attention. No, his attention was on the sickly scent that had suddenly permeated the air around them. He was certain it wasn't the Cullens. He knew their scent. This was stronger. Newer.

Luna put her hand on his arm and he cursed.

There were vampires and lots of them. Too many for just the four of them to handle.

"Seth?" He heard the worry in her mate's voice but he wasn't paying attention to her anymore. His attention was solely on the movement he heard outside, and downstairs. "Seth, are you okay?"

No, he wasn't and there was no time to explain it to her.

The wolf hurtled himself off the bed at the same time the bedroom door exploded inward. He phased in midair, the only thought in his head was to keep Luna from harm as much as possible.

~~O~~

As always, Sam was patrolling the boundary between the vampires' territory and theirs. He had volunteered earlier that day and had been doing so since then. He had needed to think about everything that had happened in the last couple of days. He had tried to keep it to himself, but as a wolf everyone knew what he was thinking. By this time, he was sure everyone knew what was going on between Luna and Seth. And if they didn't, they would find out soon enough.

He let out a sigh and laughed as best he could in his wolf form. It always amazed him how he could forget in which form he was.

_You have a _reason_ to _worry_?_

Irritation immediately settled in with that thought. Paul really didn't have the best timing for his remarks. If it wasn't something with him then it was something else. But he always had something to say against something or someone. Granted, Sam didn't want to give the vampires access to their land but Seth had the right to make friends, even if those friends were creatures they couldn't stand. This was his decision and no else could make it for him. He didn't understand it but who was he to argue with the whims of fate?

_Oh, now you're all goody goody toward them?_

When he saw him next, Sam vowed to kick the hell out of him. Maybe then he would understand to keep his remarks to himself.

_I _really_ don't want to hear your voice. _Sam lifted his face toward the sky and wondered just how much longer Seth would be gone. He didn't have a good feeling. It had been nagging him all day and he wanted to figure out what it was.

A new voice joined that of Paul's and he wanted to bang his head against the nearest tree. _Well, you're going to hear mine. Why the hell did you let my brother get imprinted on that girl?_

Oh yeah, because he could control just who got imprinted to whom. If that had been the case, he would have controlled _his_ imprinting to cause less harm. But did Leah understand that? Did she understand that a wolf didn't get to choose whom he got imprinted on? She thought that just because he was Alpha he could control everything that went on. The truth was, he was only Alpha because Jacob didn't make him stand down. If Jacob had wanted his place, he wouldn't have been able to do anything against it. As much as he liked being the leader, he knew it would only be a matter of time before Jacob decided he had had enough of following orders. His Alpha would take over.

_I couldn't have done anything about it, Leah._

_You could have stopped him from going anywhere near the road. If you would have done your job, he wouldn't have ran away._

Sam released a deep breath and turned his attention from the female. He ignored the protests on his behalf from the rest of the pack and returned his attention to the boundary. _Head back to the reservation. I'll just give this one more sweep and go back myself._

In a matter of seconds, he was alone with only his thoughts, of course, it didn't last long. Two minutes later, he was joined by none other than Jacob and Embry. It was their turn to handle the boundary, not that it really mattered anymore. As soon as Seth decided to join them, the whole place would be invaded with the smell of vampire. It was one of the "perks" of being mated to the sister of a vampire's boyfriend.

_Sam, you want to head on back to the reservation? We can-_

Jacob didn't finish saying what he was about to. He was interrupted by Seth's frantic voice. It wasn't really his voice but his thoughts were frantic. All three wolves knew what was happening. But Seth was on vampire territory and they couldn't go anywhere near there without the vampires knowing that they were there. They needed permission.

_You know, if you guys are going to do anything to help, _now_ would be fucking the time._

Sam saw Jacob start to move toward the other side of the boundary. _We can't. There's a boundary and a treaty between us, Seth. _

The Alpha heard the viciousness in Seth's voice when he next spoke up. _Screw the fucking treaty. It won't be of any use anyway if the vampires decide they're done here. _

_Sam…?_ Jacob sounded furious.

He hesitated a moment. _Embry take the news back to the others. Have them join us at the Evans's home. Jacob let's go._ He took off, crossing the boundary and taking off in the direction of Seth and his mate. He knew Jacob was right behind him, ready to take on the whole damn world if need be.

* * *

**A/N:** Thanks to everyone who reviewed the last chapter: **stephvamp25, beauty0102, silverdragondray, TIGGI1, EriKaBalDeL, tashtash0, Yana5, CHEEKY-HERMONIE, chacra, Mrs. Edward Cullen Potter, x8jessica8x, nequam-tenshi, witch20, Arieru-chan, DoubleTime, choccream24, XxScarletPhantomxX, animaluvr123, Ragnarok45 (4X), Serim, fifespice (2x), schnookums, Y-dO-u-CrY, mingchan06**

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	23. New Plans

**A/N:** So, I am really sorry for not having updated in the last month. Things got really hectic for a moment. I had to change apartments and then had to get established in my new one. Finals were this week. Had to study for those. I have actually been working on this chapter for the last month when I got the chance and as you can see, didn't really work out like I wanted. I felt like this chapter was necessary. We have to know what is going on in Britain. I have the ending all planned out and I had to add this chapter for necessity's sake. Well, hope you like it!

**Disclaimer: I do not own anything Harry Potter or Twilight related. Everything belongs to their respectful owners.**

**Summary:** The battle has begun in America. But things are started to change in Britain.

* * *

**Chapter XXIII - New Plans**

Blaise glanced at the witches and wizards he had under his command and motioned slightly with this hand. He didn't bother ordering Harry and his family around. He knew they wouldn't listen to a single thing he said. That and they had already moved away from them. In his opinion, they were too involved with the hostages. His own team would do anything to stop Hermione, though he _had_ told them to capture and not kill. He had talked to every single one of them and they were in agreement that Harry's friends had to come first, then Hermione Granger. If they got to the witch before they could find the hostages, they needed to be able to question her. It wouldn't do any good if they killed her and in the process lost every way of finding the others.

He didn't need to see to know that Dean and Lee had gone one way while George and Seamus had taken the other side. Ginny and Angelina had stayed with him. There had been a reason why he had picked them for the job. He knew exactly how they thought, which is why he had given them the warning in the first place.

"Where did Harry and Co go?"

The wizard glanced at Angelina and raised his eyebrow at her. "Miss them already, do you?"

She shrugged and pointed her wand away from Blaise, shining the small light into the darkness around them. "I could have gone without seeing one Draco Malfoy but Harry and Neville are always good company. Not to mention the whole fact that Luna is living with them. They're good people."

Blaise noticed that Ginny didn't say anything on the matter. It wasn't a surprise. Everyone knew she still had somewhat of a crush on the Boy Who Lived even though she had been dating around. "I hear they're Evans now. Harry's manager adopted all of them when they moved out here."

"You know, if you guys are trying to sneak up on Granger, it's not working. She's going to hear you coming a mile away."

None of them needed to see Lee to know that it had been he who had just spoken up.

Angelina ignored Lee and continued with the conversation she and Blaise had been holding. "Yeah, you see, I don't understand. Harry's a rock star. Everyone knows him and yet they did this. I mean, how could they not, his music is widely known. He and the rest of his friends were adopted and had their names changed. Unless they have a glamour around themselves, then they _will_ be recognize. If you ask me, there are holes in their plan."

Ginny snorted and pushed past them. She really didn't want to hear about Harry Potter or was it Evans to them too? She didn't want to think about that either. She had thought that he would be happy to see her, or them as a whole, but he hadn't been and that was what hurt her the most. The fact that he wouldn't even pull away from that vampire angered her. He should have acted differently toward them. They had been his friends since Hogwarts, _had_ known him since Hogwarts.

Blaise continued, as if she hadn't interrupted him. "There are always holes in plans. Why do you think many of them go wrong to begin with? The difference here is that a town like Forks is so remote that there is no way a piece of news like Harry Potter would get out. And even if the town _was_ big enough, the people here are too selfish to "share" Harry with anyone. The very fact that the surrounding cities and towns haven't heard about him being here is proof enough. I mean, McGonagall had a hard time finding Harry because there were no magical traces that led here. She had to follow Granger's. The only other magical trace led us to a reservation not far from here."

She nodded, frowning when she saw that Ginny was no longer in their line of sight. "That girl is seriously going to get into trouble."

He shrugged and stepped past her. He found it odd that none of Hermione's accomplices had met them yet. He had been sure she would have had everything covered. He knew her well enough to know that she always covered all her bases.

~~O~~

Edward put out his hand to stop Harry.

Harry was about to open his mouth to ask what was happening when Edward threw him to the ground. He rolled over to see a jet of green sparks flying over his head. He didn't need to see to know that the spell had hit the tree that had been right behind him. The crashing noise said it all.

"Well, look what I found wandering though the forest." A rough laugh accompanied the statement. Harry didn't recognize the voice but then, he hadn't known every single Death Eater to ever serve in the Dark Lord's "army". There must have been hundreds he hadn't known about and maybe half of those hadn't even been captured by the Ministry. There was no way in hell that they could have captured so many of Voldemort's followers.

Draco put his hand out to help Harry up while Neville and Edward decided they didn't want their boyfriends to get hurt. They took stances in front of the two wizards, which not only irritated Harry but made him want to rethink the whole vampire boyfriend thing.

"I don't know." A second voice joined the first one, though his one seemed to come from Harry's right. "What did you find?" Every word spoken dripped with sarcasm and malice.

Edward took a menacing step toward the first voice while Neville and Draco pointed their wands toward the second one. They knew there had to be more than just the two. Hermione wasn't stupid as to only bring in two Death Eaters to take down Harry Potter and his friends. The others had to be hiding or bidding their time, waiting to attack until they were told to do so. There had to be more somewhere.

Harry whipped around. _"Lumos!" _Hermione had picked a hell of a day to start her confrontation. Out of all the days of the year, she had picked the worst one. The darkness of the day only amplified the darkness within the forest and the clouds had decided that they'd had enough of the drizzling and would much rather let it pour.

"How did he get out of prison?"

The brunette wheeled around to look at his friend, a questioning look on his face. He knew it probably wasn't the time for it, but Draco seemed to have recognized the voice and the more answers he had would benefit in the long run. However, his concentration was shot when the Death Eaters decided to start talking once more and he could see the relief that passed over his friend's features.

"Traitor!" Harry was sure the insult had been directed at Blake, or there was the possibility that it had been directed at Draco. Both had switched sides in the year since the last battle. Both of them had joined Harry Potter and were now even part of his family. It was hard to know to whom they referred.

"I might be wrong, but I think we're surrounded." Neville glanced at Harry.

Edward shook his head and walked the edge of the clearing they were in. "No, you're right. They're all around us." He glanced at Harry, but before Harry could stop him, he was gone through the trees. A moment later they heard a soft crack and they knew Edward had engaged the Death Eaters, or at least attacked the one that had been in his path.

"Edward!" Harry went after him. He wasn't going to let the vampire engage the Death Eaters by himself. He knew that they had as much trouble taking down a vampire as he did, but he also knew that they had the skills to do so. He had been trained in everything he knew by the best of the Wizarding world. Death Eaters had had the same training only from the only human who had been capable of controlling the vampire race. They knew all they needed to know and they would use it against Edward without second thought.

Draco brought up his wand as a shadow detached itself from the thick of the forest. "I would have thought you knew better than to fraternize with traitors, Draco."

The blond answered in as calm a voice as he could muster. "I thought _you_ were dead."

~~O~~

Seth didn't know when the rest of the pack was going to arrive. He just knew they had to do so quickly. The vampire that had attacked them in Luna's room was beating the hell out of him. He knew that one of his ribs was broken. How could it not be, the vampire was throwing him around like a rag doll?

He couldn't help the whining that escaped him as the vampire slammed him into the wall of the hallway. He vaguely heard the crack of the wood from where he had made impact and hoped Harry would forgive him for the destruction being done to his house. He didn't know what had happened to Luna but he hoped they hadn't gotten to her and if they had he hoped she knew how to defend herself, because he wasn't going to be able to help her as much as he wanted to.

The wolf launched himself at the vampire once more only to have the creature swat him away as if he were a simple fly.

_Seth, stay down._

_What the hell are you thinking? Luna is in there. There's no fucking way I'm going to let that bastard anywhere near her. _He ignored the growling he knew Sam would be throwing his way. If he paid attention to everything the Alpha said he wouldn't get anywhere in life.

Getting up from the floor hurt like hell, but it was like he had told Sam; he wasn't going to let that vampire near Luna. He would die before that creature touched her. A russet wolf ran past him and attacked the vampire Seth had been bent on getting. He didn't have to think twice before he joined Jacob at his task.

With Jacob there, he knew Sam was downstairs with Carlisle and Esme, trying to keep the others at bay and he was grateful for that. Until the others arrived, he couldn't really take much more vampires coming up the stairs to attack them up there. Between them two, they could barely handle one newborn. He made a mental note of asking Edward for some fighting lessons later. He was sure the vampire would be willing to give them to him.

He heard a ripping sound and was astounded to see that he had managed to rip one of the vampire's arms off. He had never had a violent streak, unlike the rest of the wolf pack, but the adrenaline rushing through him didn't even let him dwell on the fact that he and Jacob were ripping apart a vampire. It was all for Luna's safety.

~~O~~

Sam couldn't say he was having the same luck as Seth and Jacob. As soon as he had arrived, he knew there were too many vampires for only five, not counting Seth's mate. Sooner or later they would be overrun, he just hoped like hell that the rest of the pack arrived soon. Embry was a good runner, by the time they had arrived at the Evans' home, the other wolf had probably already alerted the rest of the pack. It was only a matter of who would want to help them out. He knew he probably wasn't going to count on Paul. Leah would more than likely just come because it was her brother in trouble. But she wasn't going to do anything to help her brother's mate.

A furry blur took off past him toward the stairs but Sam didn't have time to recognize the wolf before the vampire he had just knocked down got back up to go a second round.

~~O~~

Harry froze midstep and closed his eyes, concentrating on the sounds around him. He tried to ignore the dripping and pouding of the rain against the leaves of the trees and focused only on the loud noises that were out of place in the forest. There was a wizard following him and he needed to stop him before he got too close. Yes, he wanted to find Edward, but he also needed to find his other friends. He didn't know how close the Death Eater was.

All it took him were a few seconds. He listened to the loud footfalls that belonged to the person following him and waited for the right moment. He turned around immediately and pointed the wand in his hand directly in the direction of the wizard that was following him.

"_Expelliarmus!" _He didn't wait to see if the corrupted wizard had been affected by the spell. He only wanted to get back to looking for Edward or any sign of his friends. He would even enjoy the sight of Hermione or Ron at that moment because it would tell him that the others were close to them. However, he didn't know if he was going deeper into the forest or if he was heading in the direction they had come from. Though, he really doubted that. They hadn't really traveled that far into the trees. The protection and guard spells that Hermione had placed around the area had prevented them from doing so. It had been a good thing that Blaise had had training with the spells or they wouldn't even have been able to enter.

He had to hand it to Hermione. When she thought of something, she did so completely. She left no holes in her plans. It was the reason why they had had so many successes in the past. Why they had gotten through everything they had gone through. He pushed past the trees and immediately regretted having done so. In front of him were three Death Eaters, all with their wands out and pointed directly at him. It was going to take him longer to find his friends. Nothing could be easy in his life. Why had he thought this would be the one instance where it would be?

~~O~~

Minister Kingsley Shacklebolt couldn't say he was proud of how he was running the Ministry of Magic. To give him credit, he had never wanted the job to begin with so against all odds, he was doing a damn great job at it. He had only been meant to run the Ministry while a different Minister was chosen from all the other candidates. But that hadn't worked out how they had all planned. One thing led to another and before long he had found himself more and more involved.

First it had all to do with the capture of the Death Eaters. He had focused all their resources on the capture of the people who had been wreaking havoc on the country for years. After most of the Death Eaters had been rounded up, that attention had been turned to the reconstruction of the Ministry. They forgot to pick a new Minister. They just kept the one they'd had and didn't turn back to see if they had made the wrong decision. He had just gone along with whatever they'd had in store for him. The people didn't think twice about it. They accepted him. They had been desperate to have some order in their lives. They had been desperate to have a leader to look to in case they ever needed it. _He_ had been that person. He had been their hope in a seeming less hopeless time. He had been the proverbial pillar of strength.

It had been trying to reconstruct something that had been so widely damaged. But with the help of the only person capable of doing it, he had done it. And while, no he wasn't happy with the way things were doing now, he had to say that it was an effective method. His power wasn't questioned by anyone and most of the people at the Ministry went along with him and everything he said. Though, of course, there were always the ones who tried to cause problems. Even that had been refined. Anyone who opposed the Minister of Magic had to be in league with Harry Potter and was, for all intents and purposes, exiled from the Wizarding World. Anyone who helped that person would suffer the same fate.

He grabbed a stack of parchments from his desk and got up carefully, trying to avoid knocking over anything that was of importance. He didn't succeed. As soon as he tried to get out of the space occupied by his chair, the nearest stacks of parchment toppled over and made a mess of the desk. He glanced at the havoc on his desk and ignore it. There were more important things to do and not much time to do them. He had all the people he could afford tracking Harry Potter without leaving the Ministry defenseless.

They had left the young man alone while he had maintained a permanent residence in London, but as soon as he had left the Ministry had been trying to locate him. Kingsley had been willing to let Harry live out the rest of his life in London, where they could easily get rid of him if it was needed, even in the Muggle world. A Ministry official had followed Harry around and he had been oblivious to them. That job had only gotten easier when the reporters had joined the scene. The Minister had to admit, Potter sure had a way with crowds. Everywhere he had gone he had gathered supporters and the Ministry had followed, making sure that all he did was hold his concerts and nothing else.

Opening the door to his office, he found his new Undersecretary wringing his hands with the head of the Aurors standing right behind him, no doubt the cause of the man's unease. The Undersecretary was intimidated so easily. It was a wonder that he could work for the Minister at all.

"Y-you said not to interrupt and I-I told him that. B-but he w-won't un-understand. H-he i-insists on talking to you." The man didn't even look up from the floor to meet the Minister's eyes. He didn't really dare doing so. This was a direct violation to his earlier order and he had failed in complying with them. What little hope he had been holding out was rapidly evaporating with every second he stood in front of the Minister.

Kingsley sighed heavily and pushed the parchments he held in his hands toward the man. Some times he really missed Granger. She would have followed his orders to the period. This man didn't even reach a small portion of the level at which she dedicated herself to her work. But people like her couldn't be trusted. She switched sides like they convenience her. He hadn't been sure if a month from then she would have been working for Potter again, trying to find a way of getting rid of the Ministry once more. Of course, he hadn't even seen that until McGonagall had brought it to his attention. If it hadn't been for her, he would probably still have Hermione working for him, letting her play him and the rest of the Ministry like she had done.

"Sir, we need to talk."

"Grant, I have things to do, things that need to be done before too much time passes. I'm sure what you have to say can wait until I come back. And if it can't, talk to the head of you're department. I'm sure he'll be happy to listen to your rubbish." He started to move. Immediately the Undersecretary moved but the Auror stood his ground. "Is there a reason as to why you're still blocking my path?" Kingsley saw the determined look the man wore and sighed once more. He didn't really have any other option than listen to the man. There had been a reason why he had chosen the man to head the Auror branch of the Department of Magical Law Enforcement. At 6' 5", he was as intimidating as they came. "This had better be worth the time you're making me waste."

He thrust the parchments in his hand at the other man and headed back to his desk. "Make sure those get to their respectful departments." He motioned toward the chair in front of his desk and sat down in his own. He would have to talk to them later. There were things he needed to have clarified. "What is so important that it can't wait?"

The man refused to sit and instead opted to stand between the two chairs, his hands clasped behind his back, but Kingsley could see the corner of a manila folder. "Sir, we discovered an anomaly in the Department of Magical Transportation's records."

"Isn't it the Head of the Department of Magical Transportation's job to tell me these things? I don't see why you're the one who's wasting my time, Grant." He thought he would see some kind of guilt on the man's face, but the man remained calm and collected.

Grant took a deep breath before continuing. He didn't like it when the Minister was in one of his moods. He took out his aggravation on the nearest person. The fact that he had come with an anomaly that wasn't even in his department didn't help him either. At least, at first glance it didn't help him. The Minister just had to hear him out. There a lot of things going on in the Ministry and he disagreed with more than half of them. The fact that great Ministry workers were being exiled for no other reason than having a link with Harry Potter wasn't something he would call ideal. He didn't support Potter, but he didn't like the way people were being thrown out of the Magical Community because they had helped save said Magical Community.

"It's not the fact that it's in that department. It's the fact that they found an unreported Portkey bound to America. The date is tentative at best, but we have gone through the records and the Portkey isn't recorded anywhere _but_ the Department. According to our records, only people inside the Ministry were able to take it without reporting it to several places. Any other wizard would have to report it to several departments before being able to take it out."

Kingsley leaned back into his chair and narrowed his eyes slightly. "Are you saying that someone inside the Ministry took an unregistered Portkey to America?"

Taking another breath wasn't going to help Grant. He didn't want to show the exasperation he was feeling but it was hard not to when the man who was supposed to be his boss didn't want to pay the least bit of attention to him. Instead he nodded once and continued before the Minister could come up with another remark that would make him doubt his capability of leading their people. There was only so much he could stand from one man and he was rapidly reaching the limit when it came to the Minister.

"Not just the Ministry, sir. I've talked to several employees and they all agree that Zabini was the only non-employee to enter the Department of Magical Transportation and leave with a portkey." He produced the folder Kingsley had seen and flipped it open expertly. He riffled though several parchments until he found the only he had been looking for.

The Minister waved his hand absentmindedly. "What is the matter with that? Zabini is an Auror. He uses portkeys all the time."

"He hasn't registered any. The last one registered under his name was two months ago."

Kingsley sat up slightly and frowned. "He didn't register any?"

Grant could help the intake of breath. But he didn't let it bother him either. "He _didn't_ register any. There hasn't been a single record of a portkey in the last two weeks, either under Zabini's name or another name altogether."

"Then how do you know one exists?" The Minister couldn't help the small amount of triumph that leaked into his voice. His eyes shone with challenge.

"Minister, do _not_ play games with me. There are numerous accounts of people seeing Zabini walk into that department and leave about an hour later with a portkey. You_ cannot_ just dismiss them because you do not believe it is possible to have a 'traitor' in out midst." He didn't raise his voice in the slightest, but the Minister could hear the anger in them.

He leaned back into his chair and put his fingertips together. "Then investigate him," He didn't miss the looks that the man was throwing at him. He was going to have to look into that man. He didn't like his attitude. It was one thing to have a great man work for the Ministry and it was entirely another to have one that didn't believe in the Minister and what they did. He was as dangerous as Granger had been. Though, Grant was one of the biggest non-Harry Potter supporters. It would be hard to link him with anything that had to do with the Savior of the Magical World. But he would find a way. All he had to do was spread some rumors around. The people would do the rest of the work for him.

"I already did, sir. The day that he took the portkey he spent a sizeable amount of time with Headmistress McGonagall at Hogwarts. It isn't the first time he has done it either. On several instances he has been seen at the School without his partner. A few days ago he was seen with Dean Thomas and Seamus Finnigan. Sir, if I may be candid about this?"

Kingsley nodded. "Go ahead."

"It seems that Potter's supporters run deeper into the Ministry than we had first thought. If Zabini really _is_ in league with Potter and has been see consorting with two exiled wizards then Headmistress McGonagall has to be brought in and tried."

"You want me to send a team of Aurors to bring in a respectable woman who is the Headmistress of Hogwarts nevertheless?"

The man's eyes narrowed at the mockery in the Minister's voice. "Sir, we have not pardoned people just because they are in high positions. Why should we start now? If she is consorting with the enemy then is it time she pay for her crime." He watched for a reaction from his superior and got none. "Zabini has gone to America. We know for a fact that Potter isn't in Europe any longer. If he is in America and has managed to recruit magic users there then it is only a matter of time before he comes after us. You, yourself, have said that he is the next Dark Lord. This could be it, sir."

"Very well. Send a team of your Aurors to get the Headmistress for treason against the Magical government. I want you to take another team and go after Zabini. If he has gone to join Potter then he will lead you straight to him. I want both of them here. You have two days."

Grant nodded and turned to leave.

"And, Grant." He waited until the Auror had turned to look at him before continuing. "Next time you talk like you did, not only will you find yourself without a job, but I will make sure that no one hires you." He had thought that threatening the man would get some kind of fear induced reaction out the him, but it didn't and he was sure that it wouldn't either. Instead, the man merely nodded once and left without a single word.

Grant wasn't afraid of the Minister. If he wanted to, he could turn the whole MBE against him. All it would take were a few nicely placed words and they would kick him to the curb as well. They hadn't forgotten that Kingsley Shacklebolt had aided Harry Potter throughout the war. If they were indeed getting rid of every and all who helped out the Savior then they should start by exiling the Minister of Magic himself.

He wasn't going to find Zabini to bring him in. As much as he didn't support Potter, he didn't find the reason in getting rid of many good people. If Zabini was helping out Potter then he could help him stop the injustice that was going on at the Ministry. He had already take that first step. With the apprehension of the Headmistress, people were going to start to doubt the Minister's capability. Minerva McGonagall was a respected woman in the Magical Community, the people wouldn't like it when they found out that she had been apprehended. All he needed to do now was get the support of Potter. He was sure the young man wasn't going to stand by and let this go on any longer.

No, Grant would keep his job. He didn't have to fear the Minister and his threats. He knew things about him that he was sure the man wouldn't want out in the public.

~~O~~

Headmistress McGonagall was standing at the window of her office. For the first time in many days the sun had been visible. The rain had stopped and the clouds had dispersed to reveal the beautiful golden disc in the sky. She had wanted to enjoy the sunset since she had a suspicion that it would be some time before she would be able to see it again.

It was more than a suspicion. She hadn't told Blaise about the plan she had put into motion with some of the Ministry workers. She knew he would have stopped her if he had known. It was what made him an excellent Auror. The Minister needed to be stopped before a tyranny ensued and they didn't have time to get another plan laid out and ready. Blaise's departure had only provided them with another part of the plan. If this didn't work, they would all be in the Minister's hands and it would only be a matter of time before they were all exiled from the Magical Community. It all hinged on the fact that Magical Community wouldn't want to see one of their well respected people exiled.

She heard the fireplace start up and hesitated for a moment before turning to face the green flames and the person coming out of them. Once he had adjusted his clothing she spoke up. "Is everything ready?"

"As ready as they'll ever be. I have sent a team of Aurors here to get you. I will be leading another team out to America with the official intention of retrieving the Portkey. If what you say is correct and Zabini is with Potter, this should all be over in a few days."

Nodding, she turned back to look out the window. "Grant-" The man didn't let her continue.

"We are doing everything we can to stop the Minister and his new laws. I promise that you won't be harmed. I have told my Aurors to treat you with the utmost care."

"I don't care about my health, Grant. But I must tell you. Zabini and his team went to America to retrieve Granger and Weasley. We believed they were plotting something against Harry and his family. It may very well be that you will be walking right into a fight." She didn't see the man nod, but she had the distinct impression that he was doing just that. "I trust the Aurors you are taking have your utmost trust."

"They do."

"Very well. How long will it be before they arrive?"

She heard his footsteps as moved around the office. "I gave the order right before coming here. If they apparated, they will be here in the middle of the feast. They have the order to apprehend you, no matter where you are. They are not to wait until you have them in a different room. It's as you asked."

Nodding again, she smiled softly and turned to the Auror. "Thank you." With that she strolled past him toward the door. "Be careful in America. You will be needed here. The Minister needs to be shown the light."

Grant bowed his head slightly. Despite the fact that he was only a few years younger than the woman, he had the outmost respect for her and everything she did. "I will bring them back."

Minerva took a deep breath and descended the stairs. With her arrest in the Great Hall, the students would be outraged, right along with their parents. If she knew one thing from her many years of teaching, it was that Hogwarts students didn't stop at until they reached their goals. Many of them had already shown great respect for Harry and some of them spoke out against the injustice done at the Ministry. The Minister wouldn't be able to live the scandal down when it reached the Daily Prophet. No one would let him get rid of her and the seed of doubt would be sowed within their people.

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**A/N: **Again, thank you for reading. Thanks for reviewing, faving, and alerting: **fifespice, TIGGI1, Mrs. ****Edward Cullen**** Potter, Arieru-chan, witch20, choccream24, beauty0102, animaluvr123, DoubleTime, x8jessica8x, Bella216, Jordan Boudreaux, chacra, XxScarletPhantomxX, TalaDentro, moneymakestheworldgoround, masks, bp, Rori Potter, Potterdownthestreet, otakuzen, I-am-a-slash-addict, tashtash0**

"Starting Over" now has** 333** reviews, **295** favs, and **468** alerts.

Thank you to everyone who have kept up with the story. Again, I'm sorry for taking so long to update.


	24. Outraged Arrest

**Disclaimer: I do not own anything Harry Potter or Twilight related. They belong to their respective owners.**

**Summary: **Harry and Edward separate to make things easier. Draco gets captured and McGonagall's arrest causes outrage.

**A/N:** I have finally finished this chapter. Half of the chapter had been sitting in my computer's hard drive for about two and a half months. The other half I wrote in a day. Sorry for taking so long to update. But college has been keeping me busy and I just this week had a breather what with midterms and Spring Break. Enjoy!

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**Chapter XXIV**

Harry did the only thing he could think of. He forgot about the wand in his hand and dodged the spells being thrown at him behind the nearest tree. He knew that sometimes it wasn't enough to just fight back. That was when he had to make the decision to run or get killed. He heard the surrounding trees splinter and was pulled out of the path of the nearest falling one forcefully.

Glancing up, he met Edward's amber gaze and took a deep alleviating breath. The fact that Edward was there with him gave him a small amount of hope, not a lot but just enough to know that maybe everything would be okay.

"I thought you were gone."

The vampire grinned down at Harry. He ignored the part of him that screamed at him to get his boyfriend out of the line of fire and stood his ground. He knew this was Harry. This was the one part of him that he couldn't control and honestly, he didn't want to. Because it would mean suppressing everything that Harry was. It would mean changing something that was beautiful as it was. If Harry was telling the truth, he had been born into this. This was what he was good at.

"I thought you knew better."

Nodding, Harry grinned and turned back to the clearing, frowning when he didn't hear anything. In the moment that he'd had that lapse of attention, the spells had seized. He glanced at Edward who was sniffing delicately at the air. He couldn't help the grin that graced his features as he watched the vampire. "They're gone, aren't they?"

Edward nodded. "Disappeared like the ones in the garage did."

Harry took a deep breath and stepped into the clearing. He pointed his wand at the spot where the Death Eaters had been a moment before. The dim light cast shadows from the trees, but there was no sign of them. "I really hope this isn't one of their traps." He didn't bother to see if Edward was following him. Instead, he pushed past the thick branches and began his search for his friends again. The feeling of being too late was getting stronger and stronger with every moment that passed and he didn't want it there.

~~~O~~~

Draco waved his wand, wordlessly casting the disarming spell. He watched as the Death Eater went flying and vaguely thought that Harry wasn't the only one to cast a good _expelliarmus_. He turned and found Neville trying to best another one. His heart pounded against his ribcage. He didn't know what he would do if something happened to the ex-Gryffindor. It would be like the end of his world. As of the very moment that Neville had trusted him with his feelings, his world had revolved around him.

"_Expelliarmus_!"

The blond felt his wand fly out of his hand and he was thrown backward from the force of the spell. When he landed on the ground, he felt all the air leave his lungs from the impact. A moment later, Neville joined him on the forest floor. He stood up slowly, not missing a single beat in his actions. He wasn't going to show defeat to people who were already defeated. If there was one thing his father taught him was to stand proud. No matter how hard they fought, their Dark Lord was gone and it would only be a matter of time before their actions caught up with them.

Out of the corner of his eyes, he saw Neville stand as well. "You okay?"

Neville nodded and dusted his robes. "I'm fine. I just hope Harry is somewhere close to the others."

Draco grimaced as a masked wizard wrapped his hand around his arm and yanked toward the trees. He didn't even have time to agree with Neville. "Bloody hell. Will you watch what you're doing?"

The action he got from the wizard was the tightening of his hand around his arm. It sent a jolt of pain through Draco and he had to wonder just what the wizard thought he was doing. Weren't they supposed to be killed? He didn't think Hermione would want more hostages, but then again… He didn't really know when it came to the witch. Not that he had ever really known her. This could all be part of her plan. The Death Eaters could be on some kind of mission to take them all to her so they could all be used against Harry. The blond banished the thought with what happened next. The Death Eaters weren't acting on orders from Granger. They had a different agenda, which amused Draco to no end.

They stopped and the Death Eater holding Draco threw him forward.

Caught unawares, the blond stumbled and fell to his knees before another masked figure. He refused to submit to them after so many months of freedom and doing whatever he very well wanted to do. However, as soon as he got to his feet once more the wizard that had taken a hold of him earlier kicked his legs out from under him and he went down again.

"If this is your way of getting someone's attention, it sucks. You could try asking nicely. There's a very good possibility that I would listen to you. Though, there's also a very good possibility that I would tell you to go to hell. It really depends on my mood." He smirked and looked up at the figure before him. "To what do I owe the audience, you great Death Eater?" He was backhanded so hard, Draco was sure he would pass out from the blow. He tasted the coppery taste of blood and spat, making sure it landed on the wizard's robes. He could feel the trickle of blood running from his nose, but ignored it for the time being. It was really nothing compared to what they could do to him. "Let me guess, I'm a traitor and therefore I should be treated as one. You really need to change the way you think. You're mantra needs work. I could recommend someone if you want." He drawled.

He glanced around the group of Death Eaters and spotted Neville. He took a deep breath when he saw the wand tip at his temple. A small tremor ran through him and silently, he pleaded his boyfriend not to do anything rash.

His chin was seized forcefully and he was forced to look up at the masked figure. He knew who it was. They'd talked earlier before their wands had been taken from them. And honest to god, he had thought the man dead. True, he hadn't talked to him in months, ever since the end of the war, but it had been all over the papers. For all intents and purposes, he _should_ be dead. And if not dead, completely incapacitated to do anything at all. A husk of his former self.

"The Dark Lord would kill you himself if he knew you were in league with _Potter_." He spat out the name.

Draco laughed. He couldn't help it. Now that he was able to really pay attention to what they had to say, he was able to see why threats and explanations didn't have the desired effect on the victim. It was like he could see things clearly now that he had nothing to do with them. "Yes, well where _is_ the Dark Lord? Last time you saw him he was dying at the hands of said Potter. So you will excuse me for not believing in him anymore. In fact, you will excuse me for not believing in the whole purification of the Wizarding world thing. It doesn't excite me as much as it used to."

The man released him. "Potter will die tonight. We will make sure of that." The voice was flat, almost emotionless. It was like even what he was doing didn't hold as much comfort or as much excitement as it used to and Draco couldn't blame him. There was only so much a person could take while working for someone before that job became tedious and held no excitement.

"Is that what Granger is telling you? Because trust me when I say that Granger just wants to be in good standing with the Ministry of Magic. It's all she has ever wanted. It's the reason why she became Harry's friend in the first place. She saw the power in him. She saw the way the people fawned over him. If it were up to her, you would all be back behind your cell doors. Really, and here I thought I had seen everything. It surprised me to learn that Death Eaters were working for a _Mudblood_. What _has_ the world come to?" He gave a dramatic sigh and was rewarded with another backhand.

"We do what we must to get our revenge."

Wiping the blood away with the back of his hand, Draco spoke up. "Well, let me tell you something. Harry isn't alone. He never will be. How do you think he won so many times against that Bastard? Even as we speak, every little plan you came up with to capture him is running afoul. There aren't enough Death Eaters left in his world that could capture him, _even_ if you were to pull _all_ your resources available."

The gloved hand wrapped around his throat and Draco met the man's eyes through the mask. He wasn't going to submit. It didn't matter how badly this person hit him. He'd always had worse. It had been the gift the Dark Lord had given him. There would always be something worse than what this man could do to him. One of the many lessons learned.

"We know about _every_ single person in the Potter household."

Draco smirked. "Yeah, I'm sure you do. It's the reason why they were so easy to take from their lives. It the reason why you were able to just pluck them from whatever they were doing and take them to where you needed them to be. But you underestimate how far McGonagall and Potter reach. Yeah, I don't think even Granger knows what she's getting herself into with this one." He watched as the Death Eaters shifted slightly.

_So, they didn't know._

"What are you talking about, boy?"

He turned his head slightly toward the voice and grinned. He felt the hand on this throat tighten slightly but answered nevertheless. "You were so busy listening to everything Granger was telling you. Every little promise she made to you. Did you really think she could leave Britain without the Ministry knowing about it? Did you really think that they would just let her go without someone thinking she had come after Harry? You are stupider than I thought if that's the case." He heard the Death Eater hiss at the insult and closed his eyes. He was running out of air and what little air he _could_ get was becoming less and less with every breath. "You can't get all of us without missing someone. McGonagall has influences everywhere in the Ministry. It's only a matter of time before you run into someone you didn't expect or know about."

"Report to Granger. Tell her there are others out there. Then find them and get rid of them."

Neville struggled against the hold the Death Eater had on him. He needed to get to Draco. The man was killing him.

"What are you going to do? Granger isn't going to be too happy to learn that you let people get through you."

The man turned his attention from his Death Eaters to the young man he was holding. "What do _you_ think? You betrayed those you used to serve. Do you really think you should be allowed to live after what you did?"

Draco laughed hoarsely. "I thought you had learned your lesson by now."

"There is no lesson to be learned."

He took as deep a breath as he could. "Always so arrogant. I wouldn't have expected any less from a Malfoy, father."

~~~O~~~

Alice didn't wait to see if Jasper was behind her. She landed softly on the second floor of the Evans' home just in time to catch Luna as she went flying through the open glass door.

Putting her down gently, she grinned at her. "Are you okay?"

"Yeah." Luna nodded. She tightened her grip on her wand and sent a spell over Alice's head. They heard a crash from the inside of the room and for just a second both females thought it was a newborn. Those thoughts were banished when they heard a large part of the ceiling come crashing down. "Harry's gonna kill me for that." The witch shook her head sadly and marched right back into the room. She wasn't sure if Harry was _really_ going to kill her, but she knew she had to dispel some of the tension in the air around them in some way.

Alice followed right behind, knowing exactly what to do. She grabbed the back of Luna's shirt and pulled her to the side just as a newborn went crashing though the wall. At some point in the last thirty minutes, her ability to see into the future had started to clear up. Yes, she was still seeing the past at some points, but at least she had a better understanding on what was what. She wasn't as lost as she had been when they had been in Seattle. "I really think you should be more careful." She heard a snarl from her right and turned to find Jacob bounding toward her. Her hands went out and she grabbed the wolf before slamming him into the floor. "Attack me once more and you will regret it, dog." She snarled before releasing him.

Seth pushed past her and pulled Luna into a tight hug, his arms wrapping tightly around her smaller body. He pulled away only to cup Luna's face in his large hands. "Are you okay?"

"I'm fine, Seth."

The wolf pushed a strand of blond hair away from her face and blew out a breath. It teased across Luna's face effectively moving away more of her hair. "I thought… You were gone… Never mind. I have to go downstairs and help the others. Stay here with Alice. She'll protect you." When Luna didn't make a move to stay behind he frowned. "Please, Luna."

"No."

"Luna-"

"No. The Cullens are downstairs. And honestly, Seth, I know them a lot more than I know you. Alice is my friend and I think I have the right to help them out." She slapped his hands away and motioned toward Alice. "Lead the way."

He couldn't do anything but let her go. It was against his nature to just watch his mate go into a battle and not have any protection other than a few vampires. It was against his nature to let her fight at _all_. But he couldn't do anything about it. Luna didn't even know he had imprinted on her. And as much as he wanted to tell her, Harry had thought it best if she got over her injuries from the crash first. He had thought it best if they got to know each other first before they dropped the metaphorical bomb on her.

Taking a deep breath, he followed his mate out the door with Jacob growling behind him.

The scene they found in the downstairs part of the house was one of complete chaos. The Cullens and the wolves had taken it upon themselves on destroying all of the newborns that came into their view. However, their relentlessness involved the destruction of the house as well.

Seth phased. He felt his hackles rise and he launched himself at the nearest newborn.

~~~O~~~

Harry wasn't fast enough to block the three spells aimed at him. He managed to dodge one and block the other but the third hit his arm and a cry was ripped from his throat as he heard rather than felt the bone snap. His vision darkened and for a moment he thought he was going to pass out. But all those times he had broken something at Hogwarts kept him on his feet. Who would have thought that those injuries would teach him something?

"_IMPEDIMENTA!" _He turned to the other Death Eater. Edward had chased off the third one and Harry just knew that that Death Eater wasn't going to make it out alive. Edward wasn't going to let him live after he had attacked his boyfriend. _"INCARCEROUS!" _He repeated the spell on the Death Eater he had tripped first.

Once that was done and they were out cold, Harry took a deep breath and slid out of jacket slowly. The process jarred his arm and he hissed. His wand disappeared into its holster and he examined the break. It was messy, but he wasn't going to be able to do anything about it until he got to Blake. Healing spells and potions weren't his specialty. He was just about to poke the part that was swelling when he heard a small growl from behind him. Smiling sheepishly, he turned to his boyfriend.

"I wasn't _really_ going to poke it, Edward."

The vampire frowned and gently took Harry's arm in his hands. "I can read your thoughts, Harry. You had every intention of poking it."

The wizard sighed and shrugged, only to wince when the movement sent a shot of pain though his arm. He had opened his mind up to Edward so they could better work together. Harry didn't want Edward thinking that he could just kill them without capturing them first. They didn't deserve to just be left alone, but they also didn't deserve to just be killed after what they had done. They needed to suffer every second that they had made his friends suffer.

"You need to go."

"What?"

Edward lifted his face and listened intently. He sniffed the air and pushed Harry in the direction that they had been heading in earlier. "You have to go. Find the others. I'll deal with the ones coming."

"No, Edward."

The vampire brushed his lips against Harry's and pushed him again. "Capture not kill. Got it, Harry. Go. The sooner you get to them the sooner this will be over."

Harry felt his throat close off and he had difficulty swallowing. He didn't want to leave Edward. Death Eaters were supposed to kill anything. They had been _trained_ to kill anything. They could destroy him. What if...? He didn't want to think about it, but he couldn't help it. He couldn't lose one more person. It would be just too much to go through if he lost the one person who made him feel… Well feel anything at all. He knew it would destroy him. He had gotten too attached to Edward and here the repercussions.

"I'll be careful."

"Just… Please just be there when this is all over."

Edward flashed him one of his crooked smiles and nodded once. "I'll be there."

The brunette took a deep breath and took off into the trees. If Edward wasn't there, he would bring him back from the dead and kill the vampire himself. As the thought passed though his mind, he could have sworn he heard Edward's laughter.

~~~O~~~

Hermione paced back and forth. She hadn't received any word from the Death Eaters or from anyone else for that matter, but she knew it was really only a matter of time before Harry pushed through them. If he was anything it was persistent. A trait she did admire when it came to him. Of course, it didn't mean she forgave him for anything that had happened in her life since she had met him. He was the reason why she had gone through so much crap. She had never met him, she would never have been so involved in the war. She would never have seen everything she had seen.

She turned and all but jumped a foot in the air. "What the hell do you think you're doing sneaking up on me?" She watched as the Death Eater cocked his head to the side before bowing his head slightly in mock respect.

"Malfoy wants you to know that there are others in the forest."

"I think that's a little too late, don't you think?"

Hermione wheeled around, her wand in her hand. She met Blaise's eyes and took a step away from him. "I didn't know you were in America."

"I didn't know you were such a bitch," Blaise retorted. A smile spread across his face and he glanced at the Death Eater. "or that you had dogs to order about. I have to say, the Ministry won't be really happy when they see just who you're working with. Everything you did to get their respect back will be for nothing." He glanced around. "Even if that something _was_ trying to kill Harry."

"The Ministry didn't send you."

"Of course not. The Ministry is too busy trying to round up the people that according to you are too great of a risk for the government. You left a pretty big mess back in England. The Ministry couldn't care less what you did with your life as long as you didn't interfere with them or with Harry. McGonagall however, wasn't going to just sit around while you brought your 'master plan' into fruition. There are still too many people out there that care too much for The Boy Who Lived."

She glanced at the cloaked wizard and motioned toward Blaise with her head. "Take care of him. Then go find the ones that came with Mr. Zabini."

Blaise lifted his wand, a spell already on his lips when Hermione disappeared with a crack. He sighed and turned back to the Death Eater. "Let's get this over with. I have more important things to do."

~~~O~~~

Hermione appeared next to Harry's friends and glanced at Carrie, who had fallen asleep. She sighed in disgust and kicked the young woman before moving off toward the nearest tied up person. Glancing down at him, she grabbed a potion from her pocket and bent down to press it against the man's lips.

"What are you doing?"

She didn't turn around. "You're awake." She couldn't be bothered with paying her any more attention than what she was already doing.

"You didn't answer the question, Hermione."

Straightening, Hermione ran a hand through her hair but didn't look at her. She didn't want to explain herself to someone who could hardly know what she was truly planning. "They have more help than we gave them credit for. It won't be long before Harry actually makes it this far into the woods."

Carrie frowned and watched as Nick started to stir. He moaned something unintelligible and shook his head slightly before cursing and squeezing his eyes shut. "Isn't that what we want? I mean, you do want Harry to find them right?"

Hermione took a deep breath and tore her eyes off of the brown haired man. "That's what I want."

"Well, then… Why are you so worried about him finding them? I mean, shouldn't you let them go and probably have them wander the forest. If you think about it, that makes more sense then just having them tied up unconscious…" She trailed off when she saw the glare Hermione was giving her. "Of course, this is your plan. So, what do I know." She stood up quietly and started to dust off her clothes, not that it made much difference. The dirt and rain had already done their damage.

"My thoughts exactly."

"That's what scares me."

The witched turned slowly to find her boyfriend watching her with a pensive look on his face. He didn't make a move toward her, instead he glanced at Nick and then at Carrie before returning his gaze at her. "What are you doing, 'Mione? I really don't like the way you're acting anymore. Why don't we just let this all go and go back to England. We could talk to the Ministry and see if they will give us our jobs back."

Hermione snorted and grabbed a handful of Nick's hair. "I don't think so. This is the reason why we were thrown from our homes. This is the reason why we can no longer reside in the same magical community as the Boy Who Lived. Harry deserves what he gets from everyone who scorns him. He shouldn't be allowed to live like nothing happened to anyone."

"If we were exiled from the Wizarding world it was because of that stupid crap you came up with. If weren't for that everyone would still be living safely in their homes. But you couldn't leave well enough alone could you?"

"And what do you propose I should have done? Are you saying I should have kept quiet. Potter is on the same road Voldemort was one. It was only a matter of time before he decided on it."

"Harry would never have done that. And it hurts me to think that I decided to bloody well listen to you."

Carrie's eyes widened and she took a step toward Hermione. "You don't want to help him. You want to hurt him."

A dark laugh escaped her and she pulled out a small knife from the inside of her robes. "You finally understand everything. You have no idea how tiring it was trying to deceive you. The most disappointment I've had though, comes directly from my dear Roland. I always knew you wouldn't have the courage to hurt Potter directly, but you can't even do it through others. I will not wait anymore. I have waited too long to finish this and no one is going to stop me."

To prove her point, she thrust the knife into Nick's side, yanking it out only when she knew it had done its job.

His eyes widened and he whimpered in pain. His hand reached out to the wound and pressed against it, but there was too much blood. He slumped on his side, the ropes that had been holding him vanishing with the wound Hermione had inflicted upon him.

Carrie and Ron moved at the same time toward her, but Hermione was faster. She pointed her wand at the young woman. "_Crucio!" _

Ron froze in his place as he watch in horror. It dawned on him that this wasn't the same Hermione he had fallen in love with. He had started to suspect it but this just proved everything. He didn't know this woman. The Hermione he had known wouldn't have caused so many people so much harm. Whatever came next, he knew he was never going to forget Carrie's screams as she writhed on the ground because of the pain that tore through her.

"_Stupefy!" _As soon as she saw Ron on the ground,_ s_he turned her attention to the blond that was waking up. "I really didn't want to hurt you. You guys had nothing to do with this. But, Harry is Harry and this is the only way I can force his hand."

Leslie's eyes widened slightly. Despite the darkness of the forest, he could see her moving around. He could hear the slight maniacal tone in her voice. "Nick?" He knew that the one slumped on the ground was Nick. A sense of dread entered him when Nick didn't move or respond to him. "Nick?" He turned to the woman. "What did you do to him?"

"I wouldn't worry about him if I were you. Worry more about yourself."

The blond swallowed and shut his eyes tightly. His only thought was Nick.

~~~O~~~

Harry froze and pointed his wand to his right.

"Watch it with that thing. I don't want to end up like the last Death Eater you came across."

Breathing a sigh of relief, he turned to Blake and gave him a small smile. Through the dark, he could see Blake's form as it approached him. _"Lumos!" _He froze and frowned at the man's appearance. "Had a rough night, _dad_?"

Blake gave him a droll stare. "What do _you_ think?You don't look so good yourself. What happened to your arm?" He took Harry's arm in his hands gently and turned it slightly to get a better look. With the encumbrance of Harry's jacket out of the way, he could easily make out the break in the bone. "You _really_ can't do anything without hurting yourself, can you?"

Harry rolled his eyes. "I didn't do it on purpose. Bloody Death Eater threw a spell at me." He frowned and pulled away from Blake when the man pulled out a small vial from his pocket. "How many bloody things do you carry around?"

The man slapped him upside the head with his other hand and handed the dark green potion to Harry. "Drink it. It'll set the bone back into place. Though it'll still be sore and you'll need a blood replenishing potion. But it's the best I can do until we get home. You have to thank Draco for that potion." He turned away from Harry and glanced around, trying to make out possible shapes in the trees. "Where's Edward?" He didn't turn to see if Harry had taken the potion. Instead, he kept his attention riveted toward his surroundings.

"Honestly, I don't know. He was going to take care of the Death Eaters, but I haven't seen him-" He was interrupted by a loud, agonizing scream. It sent a chill down their spines and they turned in the direction from where it had come.

Their eyes met for a brief second, before they both took off in the same direction.

~~~O~~~

The Great Hall was as noisy as it was ever going to get. At the Hufflepuff table, the first years were throwing food at each other, despite the fact that their Head of House had already given some of them detention for doing so. The Ravenclaws were on their best behavior, trying to impress the other houses. The Gryffindors… Well, they were being their normal selves, throwing nasty glances at the almost empty Slytherin table. They didn't need an excuse to pick a fight with their archrivals. All they needed was a meaningless laugh or a tentative "hi" and it was as if they had lit a fuse.

While the atmosphere in the Great Hall was warm and cheery, the ceiling showed a heavy storm attacking the region. Lightning stuck across the vast expense, while the roiling clouds poured rain down on its residents. The students ignored all of it, or at least most of them ignored all of it. There were two or three who had just had their plans ruined.

They were more interested in the coming course. Dessert was always the best part of dinner. It was what the residents of Hogwarts awaited all day, or at least throughout all the dinner.

The plates cleared away the remains of the food left behind but before the platters could be filled with the many sweets, the Headmistress stood, immediately catching everyone's attention.

"Before I forget, your final exams will take place next week. Please _do_ take the time to look over the material before then. With all the new and old students we have this year, it would be preposterous to fail any of you on your subjects. I have also been asked to inform you that for the exams you will be taking them in your regular classrooms. The proctors will arrive on Monday and will see you individually. The sign up sheet will be posted in your common room. I suggest you sign up early if you wish to have the time slot your want."

Whispers started up as the Headmistress finished her sentence. There was excitement for those who would be graduating. Dread for those who hadn't taken notes like they had been supposed to. Nervousness for those who weren't good with tests.

Professor McGonagall raised her hand to silence them once more. "In other news, it has come to my attention that some of you have been causing more problems than usual." The Gryffindor table froze when she turned her gaze to them. "I expect all of you to be on your best behavior when the proctors arrive. I do not want to see any of those horrid things you picked up from the Weasley store earlier this year. They are not only here to evaluate you on your studies but also to evaluate the school. They will be reporting directly to the Minister and they are here to see just how well the school has been doing this year. They are our guests and like all hosts, you will treat them with respect." She gave them a tight smile and motioned with her hand, which filled the platters at once. "You may return to your dinner."

Just as everyone was filling their plates once more, the Great Hall's doors flew open. Once more the student body went quiet as the five Aurors made their way up to the staff table, their desserts forgotten in lieu of the newcomers.

"To what do we owe this visit?" Professor McGonagall stood up from her chair and addressed the Aurors.

One of the Aurors pulled out a rolled up parchment and extended it before him. He started to read from it, speaking loud and clear so everyone in the immediate vicinity could hear him. "Headmistress Minerva McGonagall, under the decree of the Minister of Magic, you are hear by under arrest for the crime of treason against your government. You are to come with us willingly or by force." He motioned with his head toward the witch and two Aurors immediately stepped forward.

Cries of outraged sounded, not only from the staff table, but from the students as well. The professors present jumped to their feet, their wands out ready to defend the Headmistress and the students followed suit. In the last month, with the exception of some Slytherins, the whole school had taken to looking after each other. Shaken from the war, they weren't ready to give up what little security they could get.

"Silence!" Professor McGonagall turned to the Ministry workers. "If you would enlighten me. In what way have I committed treason against the Ministry?"

The Auror who had read from the parchment before spoke up once more. "We have information that points toward you hiding and aiding those who have been exiled from the British Wizarding community. Just recently you have aided one Auror Blaise Zabini in acquiring an illegal Portkey to America hoping to come in contact with one Harry James Potter. Your crimes are long Headmistress. I suggest you step down and come with us."

Everyone was watching her closely, waiting to see how she would react. Wanting her to just say no to the Aurors. Instead, she gave them a small smile and stepped around the staff table.

"I had expected the Ministry to take longer in figuring out just where all the people you have exiled were going to. As to Blaise, I didn't aid him. He aided me. And if it comes right down it I won't regret a thing. Everything we have fought so hard to eradicate is coming back. All that talk about tyrants and dark wizards has done the Ministry nothing. You look at the others but you have never bothered to look at our own Minister. At the way he has been running the Magical Community. Have you ever stopped to really think about what you have been doing? Of course you haven't.

"Mr. Potter didn't work so hard to bring down Lord Voldemort just to turn into him. You have been blinded and it's about time some of us took a stand."

"You are under arrest, Minerva." The Aurors bound her hands together and gave her a slight push toward the double doors.

No sooner were the doors closed when the student body exploded into angry shouts and exclamations. The ones who had been sure that Harry would turn dark side were now rethinking their opinion. If the Headmistress of Hogwarts was ready to go against the Ministry of Magic to help out the Boy Who Lived then there had to be something wrong with the Ministry's thinking. But not only was she going against the Ministry, she was going against the Minister's own. The Minister's Board of Elite. As one of the MBE she had helped those they exiled.

Professor Slughorn stepped forward. "Quiet!" When everyone had somewhat settled down, he spoke up again. "In light of the circumstances, I suggest you all return to your common rooms, as I am sure some of you will want to owl your guardians. The exams will proceed as planned unless something happens to stop them. Please be calm. I'm sure everything will work itself out. Dismissed."

The students started to file out, the last thing they were able to see as they exited the Great Hall were the staff members gathering around each other.

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**A/N:** Thanks to those of you who were patient until this chapter. Writer's Block is horrible. I will try to finish the next chapter in the next week or so, but I can't promise anything.

Normally I would taken the time to respond to all the reviews left in the two and a half month, but I really wanted to put this chapter up. Thanks for the review. Honestly, they really help when I have nothing, or can't think of anything.

"Starting Over" now has **348** reviews, **340** faves, and **535** alerts. Again, thanks to everyone. Cookies. Lots and lots of cookies. :)


	25. Letters and Articles

**Disclaimer: I do not own anything Harry Potter or Twilight related. They are their respectful owners. **

**A/N: **This chapter is supposed to give an insight to what the wizards and witches in England are doing. It a sort of filler. I'm working on the next chapter which actually focuses on what's going on in America. This is actually supposed to set the stage for later.

**Summary:** The students of Hogwarts make a decision.

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**Chapter XXV: Letter and Aticles**

_**Headmistress of Hogwarts Detained!**_

_By: Rita Skeeter_

_What started off as a normal day for the Hogwarts residents turned out to be one of great scandal and surprises. It is to my great discomfort that I am obliged to announce that Hogwarts Headmistress Minerva McGonagall has been arrested on the charge of treason against our respectful government._

_While the school went about on its normal routine, it seems like our dear Headmistress was planning behind everyone's back the resurrection of the dark arts in our community. And who should she choose, but our very own Boy Who Lived. What are we supposed to do when even the people we choose to represent us turn against what we have tried so hard to reestablish?_

_Like everyone may know, Minerva McGonagall was elected as one of the MBE because she represented everything we stood for. She stood her ground in the war. She didn't run away when many did. We would never have thought that the only reason she did this was because she intended to raise her own dark lord. With the help of Auror Blaise Zabini and many others who were exiled, since the doctrine was passed, Minerva McGonagall managed to procure a Portkey that would take them to America in search of Mr. Harry Potter._

_It's to my great honor that I advice you to stay away from any and all who have been marked by the Ministry. If only to stay out of trouble and stop anyone from accusing you of being guilty by association. _

_The Ministry is moving to send Aurors after those who went to our sister country America and bring them back for a full trial. This, however, will be hard to do, as they still don't really know where exactly the Boy Who Lived is living. We were saved by the very person who know wants to destroy us. Below are the names of the ones involved in Minerva McGonagall's treason. After that, you will find the names of all those we should never come in contact with. _

_All these people, including Minerva McGonagall and Harry James Potter have to be stopped before You-Know-Who's situation happens once more._

~~~O~~~

Mum and Dad,

I know what you may be thinking. But honestly, do you really think the one who saved us from You-Know-Who would actually turn against us? In the last year, he hasn't done anything but kept out of the limelight. If there is anyone to accuse of anything it would be our dear Minister. I don't know about you, but I don't think we should just sit around and do nothing about this.

Love,

Your Daughter Tamora

~~~O~~~

Hey,

How are you all doing? Sam must be really big by now. Haven't seen him for ages. I know we will be home in a few weeks, but I also know that you guys will be worried after that article in the _Prophet_. And I know you will also tell me not to get involved. But I'm really sorry. I can't do that.

We all know that Harry would never turn his back on the Wizard World that he tried so hard to save. I don't know where everyone has gotten the notion that we have to fear him. He is the only one who actually cares the most about this world. I won't sit back and wait for the Ministry to throw random accusations around without actually having proof.

~Michael

~~~O~~~

This is outrageous. How many times have we to go through this before someone actually pays attention to what's going around? The Ministry is stupid.

~Jenna

~~~O~~~

Mum,

I know you are probably cursing Headmistress McGonagall right about now. How could you not be with that article that Skeeter cow wrote in the _Prophet_? I do have to warn you that if she did something like this against the Ministry then it's because there is some truth to it. If we think about it, we never chose him as our Ministry, he imposed himself upon us and we didn't bother to do something about it. Yeah, well it's about time we did something to restore our freedom.

All those doctrines that have been passed, under his supervision, are just made to enslave us to him. If anyone is the next Dark Lord then it's him. If anyone is looking to rule this community, then it is him. Not Headmistress McGonagall or Harry Potter. If we want to get rid of those that seek to rule, then we have to get rid of our Minister. We should be able to choose _who_ makes our decision for us. We should be able to choose _who_ will speak for us in other magical communities. And you know what? Kingsley Shacklebolt isn't that person. I know that this may be considered treason in itself. Merlin, if the Ministry found this letter on it's way to you, Mum, I'm sure they wouldn't delay in sending someone over here to arrest me. They wouldn't delay in accusing me of aiding Harry to become the "next dark lord".

I just thought you should know. I know you will try to get me away from here as soon as possible, try to calm down and think about it before you do so. Exams are coming up and I don't wish to fail just because of this. We have to do something.

~Ashley

~~~O~~~

Dad, I'm sorry.

~Your Son

~~~O~~~

Guys,

I won't tell you what we are going to do about Headmistress McGonagall. It's not that I don't trust you… No it's pretty much that. Anyway, you will find out about it soon.

~Henry

~~~O~~~

Mum & Dad,

After you hear the news, you'll probably want to kill me. So I won't give you the chance to do it before hand. Just know that we don't agree with the Minister and his methods, or anything else the MBE might come up with. This is too much, even for someone of his status. If things get bad, always know that I love you guys and nothing can change that.

Love,

~Elle

~~~O~~~

Mother,

Odds are, we probably won't be able to talk in a long time. Some of us have decided that we can't just sit around and wait for something to come along. I'm not going to make excuses and say something extremely dramatic or that we're doing this for the greater good. I'm not even going to say good bye because I'm hoping many of us will come to our senses and we do something about all this. Professor McGonagall sacrificed herself to get a point across and I don't think we should just wait around and let all that go. This is the time when we should be the most united. Love you.

~William

~~~O~~~

Hey Mum and Dad. It's Mark. I'm sure you will be proud to know that we aren't going to do nothing about what's going on. A few of us agreed to leave Hogwarts and take action against the Ministry. I don't think they will have the courage to imprison all of us. I'd like to see them try their hand at it. I only wanted to tell you so you would know where we were going to be and not worry when you get a notice telling you that we have left the school. Don't worry. I won't take my brother with me. It's just a couple of us who are going. I know you guys won't make a big fuss about it, especially with your view of Harry. Actually, I was wondering if you could send some help our way. There are some of us who would really appreciate it. Thanks.

~~~O~~~

Big Sis,

It's amazing how in times of great strife everyone comes together. We all agreed that we are willing to go to Azkaban for something we believe. See, I told you we could do something for this community.

~Jessica

~~~O~~~

Dad,

I know how you feel about putting ourselves out there, about doing something that could endanger us. You don't want to lose us after what happened to Mum. And you're right. Maybe we shouldn't do it. Maybe it's wrong to go up against the government, especially with everything they are doing to the people of this country. However, I really do think this is something everyone should do. We aren't only going to fight for what we believe, but we are trying to help everyone else. They can't exile us from the British Wizarding community. The Minister won't have anyone to look after if he does so. Just think about this. I'm sure we won't be the only ones trying to do something about it.

~Miranda

~~~O~~~

I won't back down from this. You know how I feel about our dear Minister. I just hope that one day you can see that all this is wrong and that those who fought for their freedom weren't mistaken when they trusted Harry Potter. We wouldn't be here if it weren't for him. I'll send you a note later telling you how it went. Let's just hope that there will be a later for us. There are rumors that Headmistress McGonagall might get the Kiss for what she did. If you ask me, all this is an injustice, but that is nothing new. Injustices have always been there, we just haven't noticed most of them. If we are ever going to survive to the next century, we need a Minister that will care about the people and not just the Ministry. We need someone like Harry.

~Anthony

~~~O~~~

I really don't know why I'm going to do this, but I am even though I have my doubts. No, not about Harry. Merlin only knows just what he went through to get rid of Voldemort. He wouldn't turn into him. I don't have doubts about that. No, I have doubts about getting involved when no one else will. Like everyone else, I'm willing to go through this but why should we put forward an effort when everyone who _should_ doesn't want to go against the Minister and all those who have can't help us? Voldemort was destroyed so we could live happily, not so we could jump at any little thing and attack it to destroy.

~Jason

~~~O~~~

_**Student Body Greatly Reduced**_

_By: Andy Smudgley_

_According to intelligence from Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry, the school has postponed each and every class since 8 am this morning when more than half the student body refused to report to their respectful classes. It seems that this action against the school faculty is due to the arrest of one Minerva McGonagall. Despite this, the Ministry has stated quite clearly that exams will still be held at the appointed dates. The student body does not have the excuse of not having classes as this action was of their making and not an official one from the Ministry's Department of Magical Education._

_It is unclear as to when classes will resume, but no one is expecting this to be a long lasting action. The Minister has made it clear that each and every student who doesn't start classes back up in two days will not only be expelled from Hogwarts, but will also find themselves in the position of all the many who supported the Boy Who Lived. It won't matter what year they are in, or if they are just following the flow._

_But I have questions about this decision our great Minister has made. Who are they to expel a young person from school for standing up for their rights? Who are we to destroy someone's life just for fear of what they are doing? If this is what we are supposed to be, then we are no better than You-Know-Who. The doctrine was passed to stop Dark Lords from rising, what makes us think that every single witch and wizard not going to class is going to end up helping the next Dark Lord? In fact, what makes us think that there will even be a next Dark Lord?_

~~~O~~~

_**Riot! At the Ministry!**_

_By: Rita Skeeter_

_In what seemed to be a wave of young wizards and witches, the Ministry of Magic was flooded earlier today. Starting at 4 pm this afternoon, the students of Hogwarts started arriving through the floo networks at the Ministry of Magic and gathered in front of said networks as to not allow anyone out that way. As of yet, the Minister has done nothing against the students. But the officials are becoming desperate as more and more students from around the area arrive to support them. The MBE has suggested arresting the students but even the Minister has decided that that could be a little too harsh for the student body of Hogwarts. It would seem like our dear ex-Headmistress had a bigger effect on our children then we thought. _

_The riotous students aren't the only ones to have caused a disturbance. In Diagon Alley, it seems like the relatives of the students causing problems at the Ministry have gathered to protest the way the Ministry of Magic is being run. They have gone to the extreme of demanding that Minister Kingsley Shacklebolt be replaced by someone more competent. A team of Aurors was dispatched half an hour after word reached the Ministry, however, three of the Aurors have joined the group and the others were bound and incapacitated. _

_The Minister, not thinking it healthy for the Ministry to use up all resources on this matter, has refused to send more security to Diagon Alley unless the situation gets out of hand and they are no long able to control it. However, he and the MBE have agreed that should the protesting group not be disbanded by early tomorrow morning, every single person involved will be punished severely. They did not elaborate, but it would only be fair to all of us doing what we are told._

_

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_**A/N: **Thanks to everyone who R&R'ed. That is greatly appreciated.

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	26. Revengeful Punishments

**A/N:** I know it has been forever since I updated this story and there maybe some of you out there who are mad. I'm so sorry. I hadn't had time and there is no internet at my house. The nearest place is fifteen minutes away. But I did it. This chapter has been in the making for some time now and I only recently finished it. So here it is. Hope you enjoy. :)

**A/N2: **There is a part in there where Edward screams and I know that at one point in the Twilight series he refuses to give into Jane and scream. Well I'm going with "the curse is worse than the mind thing".

**Disclaimer: I do not own anything Twilight or Harry Potter related. They belong to their respective owners. **

**Summary: **Harry races to find his bandmates and Edward while Draco discovers an awful truth about his father.

* * *

**Chapter XVI - Revengeful Punishments**

Leslie struggled against the invisible ropes keeping him in place. He needed to get to Nick. The man was dying and he couldn't just stand around feeling so incompetent. This was his best friend lying on the ground. This was the one man who had befriended him when no one would talk to him. Granted, they had been boys back then and Leslie had been in dire need of a friend. He didn't think he would have accepted Nickolahs as his friend otherwise. Even back then, the man had been as eccentric as they came. He didn't follow the normal rules and he took everything in stride, as if everything had been a game. As if nothing else mattered and there was only this one moment in time: the present.

On the other side of him, Zach started to stir, the potion finally wearing off. Leslie reached out as much as he could and brushed his hand against the other man's, trying to give him a signal that he wasn't the only one awake. Anything to give his friend some reassurance. Anything to make him realize that they needed to think of _something_. He knew that Harry would probably be looking for them. It wasn't like the wizard to just sit around and wait for other people to do something while he could very well be helping. He had faith in his friend, even if that faith seemed very small at the point.

Even in the dark, Hermione noticed the movement of Leslie's hand and took a step toward them her eyes trained on them, as if daring them to try to do something against her, anything. "If Harry doesn't show up soon someone else will follow your friend there." She motioned toward Nick and turned around, as if she didn't care what they thought, or if they were even paying attention to her, a significant difference from her attitude just seconds before. It was the first thing Leslie had noticed. Her erratic behavior was almost hard to miss.

Carefully, Leslie glanced at Nick once more and then at Zach, who had finally gotten the message and was looking at him with concern in his eyes, or at least, he thought the man was looking at him with concern. They may not have been the best of friends with Harry before the "separation", but there had been a reason why they had formed the band before Harry had come along. Since they had met, they had been friends, and sometimes, they could just understand each other without words. But there were other times, when their minds were so obscured to each other that it didn't even seem like they knew each other so well. At times, it had been what had kept the friendship so fresh. Leslie could keep a secret and none of the others would ever had found out what it could be.

"What happened to him?"

Leslie gave Nick one more look before taking a deep breath and motioning to Hermione with his head. "She stabbed him. I don't know if he's still alive, or if he passed out. I can't reach him." _Or if he would make it. _He didn't say the last part out loud, but he knew Zach had heard it nevertheless. The silence spoke for itself. It was there. There really wasn't a way that they could miss the obvious truth about the situation.

Zach went quiet for a moment. It was only when Leslie started to fidget again that he spoke up, trying to lighten the mood. "That bitch was in my car." He gave his words a dramatic flair, hoping that Hermione had heard him.

From Leslie he got the reaction he was hoping for. It wasn't that he really cared whether Hermione had been in his car. No. He didn't care. The fact of the matter remained. They were kidnapped with very little hope of ever living through it. He had needed to say something that would show his friend that they could still somehow make it. Even if the chances were so remote. Something that would not only give Leslie some hope but that would reassure him that they stood together, no matter what situation they were in.

Leslie laughed for all of ten seconds before he went quiet. "They were waiting for us at the house. I thought Harry had placed guards around it?"

"He did."

Both men turned to Hermione when she interrupted and waited for her to continue.

"He did. But Harry has always been horrible at practical magic. It always takes him a while longer than the others to get the specific reaction that he wants. Always trying his hardest and never quite getting the desired effect. I have to say though, I may have been at some fault there. I was always helping him when it came down to his work. I was the annoying one, he was the hero. Do you know how hard it is to cast several charms on a house, especially one as big as the one he has? It was quite easy taking them down. Find the foundation of the spells and you can literally tear the whole thing apart." She made a motion with her hands showing them how easy it had been.

Zach struggled against the bonds before speaking. "Did you know it's illegal to tell a Muggle about your race?"

"Of course, I did. But then, you guys already knew about us. Harry told you, didn't he? And now that I think about it, you guys aren't really Muggles either."

"I wasn't talking about us. We have known about you guys since we can remember. I think you forgot about the lovely young lady you brainwashed.."

Hermione waved her hand absentmindedly. "I don't think we have to worry about her anymore. Let's just say she won't be bothering us or talking much for that matter."

Leslie could feel a sense of dread filling him. He had seen Hermione torturing the girl, but he hadn't seen her do anything else. Had she somehow managed to slip something to her? Knowing her, she had done it. No, he couldn't say "knowing her". He didn't know her. Not even Harry knew her. This wasn't the pretense she had used all her life. This was her. This was her true self. This was the madwoman bent on a revenge that didn't make an ounce of sense to anyone. This was the person she had been hiding from everyone all her life.

Zach opened his mouth to taunt Hermione again, when he saw something move at the edge of the forest. "You know, it must suck having to attack your boyfriend as well." He glanced at Ron, who was lying on the forest floor. His eyes sight wasn't as good as Leslie's. All he could see were faint colors but he was sure that was the wizard. "I didn't know you were so stupid. You relied on someone who then turned his back on you." He really hoped Harry wouldn't take that as an offense to himself. He didn't need another problem with his bandmate.

Hermione stalked toward him. She grabbed the hair at the back of his head and yanked back. Her nails digging into his scalp. "He served his purpose. Actually, now that I think about it. He didn't really have a purpose. He was supposed to help me with you guys and he backed out. Do you understand how hard it is to find people who actually help someone out? We had our lives destroyed by your little friend. We had everything taken away and he still thinks this isn't punishment for him." She narrowed her eyes slightly. "He didn't want Potter to suffer. He never had the stomach to go through with this."

"From what I understand, you were the one who passed the law."

She whipped around, her wand at the ready. "Edward. It's nice to finally meet you." She released Zach and smiled softly before taking a step toward the vampire. "I would offer you my hand in greeting, but I don't really trust your kind. You all have caused so much mayhem and destruction. Really, it's a wonder you haven't gone extinct. Your lot kills each other for the sheer enjoyment of it."

The vampire took a step toward her and, in one swift movement, glanced over her prisoners. "I can't say the same about you. You caused Harry harm."

"I haven't even started."

Edward gave her a slight nod, as if asking her to try her best, before taking off toward her.

"_IMPEDIMENTA_!"

When Edward went flying backward, Hermione grinned at him. "_STUPEFY_!" She squat down next to Edward and brushed some dirt from his shirt. "You have to realize that most people I used to work with know just when to time an attack on a vampire. You may be fast but I will always be faster. This is what we did for a living. We executed your kind and hoped no more would pop up." She stood up and pointed her wand at him once more. "_CRUCIO_!"

"NO!" Zach struggled against the bonds again. He needed to get out. He needed to get free.

Leslie closed his eyes. He couldn't watch as Edward writhed on the floor. He wished that just as he could close his eyes, he would be allowed not to hear the screams issuing from his mouth. He had heard that the Unforgivables were just that. Unforgivable because of the things they could do, but it was one thing to hear about them and another to actually see then in action. It wasn't a punishment he would wish upon anymore.

"Let's see your boyfriend get you out of this one, vampire."

~O~

Harry came to a sudden halt and looked wildly around. He didn't know which way the scream had sounded from, but he could feel his heart thumping in his chest, the only thing he could think of was that is could be Edward or one of this friends. He didn't want it to be, but he knew that the odds were against him. He should have been used to it. The odds were always against him and at times it looked like it would get worse before it got better. It always did.

"Your left, Harry."

The brunette glanced at his adoptive father. "Are you sure?"

Blake nodded and motioned to the left. "As sure as we can ever be. We go right and we run a higher risk of getting there too late. I can't tell you for sure, but it's the best guess we can make."

"But what if you're wrong?"

The man could hear the anxiety in Harry's voice. It killed him to see the young man so helpless. In the time he had been with him, he had never seen Harry like this. He was confident and rarely even arrogant but he had never been like this. They were so close to the others and yet, the forest seemed endless. One wrong turn and they could end up at the wrong part. They could end up so far away from the others and with no idea which way to go.

"He's right."

Harry and Blake both turned to find the half-Italian standing close to them. He was looking off to the left a frown creasing his brow. "I ran into Granger. She left me with one of her little Death Eater pals but I managed to keep him down." He didn't go into further detail with the issue about the Death Eater and instead pointed to the left. "Her magical signature is coming from over that way. I may not know the exact location but I can assure you that it's over there." It was easier to pin point the magical signature of a witch when they were actually in the same continent.

Blake watched the interaction between the two and sighed when Harry nodded and took off in the direction that Blaise had pointed to. "Do you think-" Before he could finish the question Blaise interrupted him.

"I don't want to think about it. With the little I spoke with her, she seemed insane. Slightly out of her mind. I don't want to think about what she could do to them." He shivered slightly before turning in the direction he had pointed. "We just have to hope that whatever she has done, it isn't permanent and we can undo it." He followed Harry deeper into the forest, not turning around to find out if Blake was following them. He didn't really have to. It was obvious the man cared for Harry, as if he really was his child.

~O~

"It's a shame really." Hermione waved her wand in the air, as she paced back and forth. She glanced at Edward before continuing with her speech. "I really thought Harry thought more about you all. God forbid that the Boy Who Lived ever sat back and watched someone die." She turned to Leslie and Zach before starting her incessant pacing across the clearing. She was sure the others in the party would soon start to wake up. The potion she had made was only meant to last for a couple of hours. "All my hard work to become something more than what everyone thought I could be got ruined because of him. I was always better than anyone in that school, but is was he everyone looked at. I was reproached for knowing the answers. He was praised even when he didn't. He was the _Savior_. The one who saved our world when he didn't even know how to talk. He was the Great Harry Potter, Dumbledore's favorite. Me, I was just 'that friend, Granger'. That's all anyone was around him. We were second to him. He was the important one."

"And you know I hated every minute of it."

She turned around and found the man she had just been speaking about. She took in everything, from his clenched fist to the anger in his eyes. "I don't know anymore. I mean, only an attention seeker would become a celebrated musician that half the world knows. You always said you didn't like the attention everybody gave you, but you sought it out in the end anyway."

She stepped away from the vampire and motioned with her hand. "Be my guest. He's still alive. That is, if you can call _that_ alive." She gave a pretend shudder and moved toward Leslie. "I don't know what is worse. The fact that you are shacking up with a vampire, or the fact that no one human was good enough for you." She released her target from the tree and grabbed a handful of his hair, yanking his head back, she exposed his throat. She wasn't sure what she wanted to do with her victim but she was sure it had to be something that would hurt the Boy Who Lived. "I won't try to understand you. God knows I have done so before with very little reward. It's nothing new for us."

Harry knelt down next to Edward and pushed a fringe of hair from his face. He released the barriers he had placed around his mind when he had left Edward and opened up for his boyfriend. _Are you okay?_

Edward opened his mouth, his voice rough as he answered the unspoken question. "I'm okay, Harry." He smiled slightly when Harry winced at the harsh edge the curse had given him. It would be gone in a while, but for the moment, the brunette didn't like it there. It was a reminder that Edward had gotten hurt because of him. Yes, the vampire could take care of himself and could probably withstand more pain than any one of them, but no one should have to endure the torment and pain caused by the Cruciatus curse.

The brunette nodded at the three simple words the vampire had spoken. He could understand why the vampire was lying on the forest floor without trying to get up. The curse Hermione had cast on him was efficient on all types of magical creatures. It didn't matter weather they were, in essence, dead. It did what it had been designed to do. It tortured the intended and kept them down. He was only glad that the vampire was able to withstand so much.

_Stay down. _

Edward shook his head and started to get up. "No."

Harry sighed. He knew that when Edward made a choice there was really no trying to get him to change his mind and in this case, he wasn't even going to try to make him. There was too much going on to get into an argument with his boyfriend. Later, when they got out of the situation and there was time for other things, that was when he would get on to him for not obeying him. In fact, he was going to deny him anything until he realized he should have listened to him. Anything and everything.

"How touching. What would happen if I cast the curse on this young man? Would you react the same or is that only for your boyfriend there?" She raised her wand and pointed it at Leslie, who was struggling against her charm and hold, his eyes wide.

"Leave them alone, Hermione. I'm here. You want me. I'm right here. There's no need to hurt anyone else. Just let them go. Let them get out of here. I'll even talk with Blaise so you and Ron won't get into too much trouble." He stepped closer to her but he could see that his words weren't making any change in her. She wasn't going to let them go. This was her way of getting back at him for something he hadn't done. Her sense of judgment had warped somewhere between turning her back on him and finding out the Ministry had turned on _her_. Maybe she had always been like this and he had just been too blind to see it. It couldn't be possible that someone could make such a drastic turn in so little time, could it?

She released Leslie, who promptly fell to the forest floor, relief flooding through him at the fact that Hermione had moved on.

"_You_ hurt them. Not me. This was _your_ fault! _You're_ the reason why every single one of them is here." She practically yelled it at Harry as she grabbed Nick by the hair and hauled him up with difficulty.

For the first time since she had stabbed Nick, Leslie was able to see a sign that his friend was still alive. He heard the small sob escaping him. Leslie was able to make out in the darkness the clenching of his eyes as he tried to unsuccessfully keep that sob back from escaping. "Nick? Oh, god, Nick. Please hold on," he prayed silently, repeating the mantra over and over and hoping that some god out there heard him and helped his best friend out. He had never been the praying type but if it helped his friend then he was willing to pray to whatever god was out there. He didn't think his friend could make it with the way Hermione was pulling on him.

"This…Nick is it? Nick is dying because you didn't make it here on time." She laughed dryly as she let go of the man. "I'm afraid he may not make it. Now, put your wand down before you hurt yourself, Harry. We all know you were awful with charms. In fact, if it wasn't for your luck, you wouldn't have made it against Voldemort. You wouldn't even be alive right now."

Leslie could almost see her stomping her foot in anger and if it hadn't been for the dire situation they were in, he would have laughed.

Harry felt Edward's hand at his back and took what little support he could from it. "Is that why you and Ron did this?"

She cocked her head and glanced at the figure lying on the ground a few feet from Harry. "I don't know about Ron, but I do know that you ruined my life." Her hand trailed over the truck of a nearby oak tree in an almost absentminded way. "_Expelliarmus!" _

Harry was barely able to throw up a shield before the spell could hit him. He took cover behind the nearest tree and took a deep breath before throwing a body-bind at the person who had once been his best friend. It missed but it caught her attention long enough for him to move closer to where she stood. He tried to stay away from where his friends were being held. He didn't want them to get hurt with the spells that were flying through the air. It would weigh heavily on his mind. Especially since Nick was already hurt.

"Edward, behind you."

Both Edward and Harry turned around distracted by an unknown, young woman's voice. At least the woman's voice had been unknown to Harry. Edward recognized it well enough.

The vampire turned, he disappeared an instant later only to appear behind the Death Eater. Harry watched in awe, Hermione momentarily forgotten, as Edward grabbed the man and twisted hard, the crack sounding loud in the small clearing. He turned to Harry, faltering slightly when he met his boyfriend's eyes.

Harry shook his head roughly and turned to Hermione again, trying to erase from his mind the almost natural way in which Edward had killed the man. "I'm going to give you one last chance. I don't want to hurt you, Hermione. I just want to be left alone. It's why I came here to America. It's why I pulled away from everything in London. I won't push this issue anymore if you just let them go. I'll go my way and you can go your's. We can forget about this. It doesn't have to go past this."

Hermione shook her head slowly. "I didn't make it this far to just_ let it go._ _Impedimenta!_"

"_Stupefy!" _

Harry dodged behind another tree. His heart was racing so fast. It felt like at any second it was going to erupt from his chest. He hadn't been this anxious when he had been dueling Voldemort, but he knew why. That _thing_ hadn't been his friend. He didn't want to hurt Hermione. She had been one of his best friends, even if he hadn't been more than a way of reaching her goal. She had been what he had never had and it was thanks to her that he had even made it this far. Thanks to her and Ron. They had been his two most important factors.

He felt a cold hand take his and flinched before he could even think better of it.

Edward's reaction was instantaneous. He retracted his hand and glanced at Harry, his eyes conflicted, emotions shifting through the amber like liquid, before he took off in the direction of Hermione.

The brunette tried to reach out for him, but it was too late, Edward was already being pinned down by another of Hermione's spells. He shook his head roughly and aimed at his once best friend. He wasn't going to let her harm his Edward again. Once had been enough.

"_EXPELLIARMUS!" _

Hermione flew backward, her wand sailing through the air in Harry's general direction before disappearing into the trees. For a moment, Harry thought she may have been knocked unconscious, but a small groan from her changed his mind as quickly as if the thought had never been there. Thinking her too incapacitated to do anything against him for the moment, he dismissed the idea of binding her first and checked on Edward, who was once again standing from the forest floor.

"Are you okay, Harry?"

Harry turned his head and watched as Blaise and Blake hurried over to their friends to check them over. They would know what to do about everything. "I'm fine. Check Nick. I don't know what she did to him, but he seems to be hurt pretty badly." He turned his attention back to Edward and grinned when the vampire reached over to push a fringe of hair that had fallen into Harry's eyes, repeating the gesture Harry had done earlier to him. His touch was tentative, almost fearing that Harry would pull back and away from him. However, when Harry leaned into the touch, he smiled at him, more sure of his actions. Harry flinching away from him earlier was forgotten.

~O~

Blaise knelt in front of Nick and felt for the man's pulse, before taking out his wand to cast a few simple spells that would help him assess his health. It wouldn't take him long, he just hoped the man held on until he was finished. "Hey, stay with us okay. I'm sure Harry would bring you back to life and then kill you himself if you died on us." He got a shaky laugh from the man. "That's what I'm talking about."

He was just about to cast the second round of spells on Nick when he was yanked backward, the cold metal edge of a blade at his neck. "Is this really necessary, Granger?"

For his antics and sarcasm he was reward with more pressure on the blade. He felt a small trickle of blood but it wasn't serious.

"Give me your wand."

"I don't think so."

"I said, give it to me!"

"You know, repeating yourself isn't going to make me want to give it to you." He knew they had captured the attention of all those present. Harry had moved forward and away from Edward. Blake had stopped releasing the rest of the band, wand in hand and ready to aim at Hermione, should he get the chance, but Blaise could see that he was slightly distracted by the man lying on the ground bleeding.

Hermione reached down and forcefully took the wand from his hand before shoving him forward. He stumbled and it was only his reflexes that stopped him from ending up on top of Nick and injuring him further than he already was. "I don't give up easily, Harry. Especially when my future is in the balance." She turned around and fled through the trees.

Harry jumped up and ran after her, he didn't know if Edward was with him, or if he was going to stay to help the others. He just knew that Hermione couldn't get away with that she had done to his friends.

~O~

Draco huffed as he stood from the forest floor for what seemed like the hundredth time. He knew his father was probably not going to hurt him that badly. It wasn't in him to hurt his only son, or it hadn't been when Draco had last seen him. He couldn't really be sure of anything anymore. People changed when they were stuck in a prison with no way out. For all he knew his father was capable of murder and so much more.

"Don't you hate it when things don't go according to plan? I mean, this was supposed to be an easy thing for you, right? Go in, take the hostages, kill off Potter and you guys were free to go. I guess you really didn't expect so many people coming after you, did you? You didn't expect to find so many people still ready to defend the one who saved them. I'm sure it was as much of a surprise to Granger. She isn't the type to plan for unforeseen circumstances." Draco wiped his mouth with the back of his hand. He didn't need to look down at the fluid to know what it was. His father had always been good when it came to punishing him. It was the one thing he had excelled at. It was the one thing Draco had always been able to count on if he didn't obey the instructions given to him. It was the reason why he had tried so hard to make the man proud of him.

The man grabbed a handful of his son's hair and jerked him forward only to look at him through the mask he was wearing. The grey eyes behind it were cold and calculating, as if wondering what was the best form of punishment for the "sin" his son had committed. It was as if he was seizing up the nineteen-year-old. And maybe he was. Draco had never been too sure of where he stood when it came to the man whom he had always called "father". There had been times when he had been a very caring man and other times, not even his wife had been able to stand him. It was as if he had had two different personalities: one for the "office" and one for his family. And try as he might, Draco hadn't always managed to stay on the caring side of him. He always messed up his orders.

"My motive for coming here wasn't revenge against Potter. The Mudblood gave me the excuse, but it was never about him."

Draco didn't move, instead, he met his father's eyes and lifted his eyebrow in the cool and sardonic way he had learned. "Let me guess, you came here to punish the son who turned his back on all you taught him? Your foolish need for revenge makes you overlook the fact that mother saved Potter so she could get her family back."

Lucius slammed the younger blond against the tree trunk, effectively knocking the air out of him. He slapped him again and pulled away, before he resorted to other methods of punishment. "Your mother was a weak woman who didn't have the stomach to do what needed to be done. She didn't deserve the Malfoy name, just like you don't now. The tragedy lies in the fact that the-"

"-great Malfoy line will die with me?" Draco smirked and glanced at Neville, who was trying desperately to get to him, but couldn't courtesy of the spell that belonged to the Death Eater who had held him earlier. "I hate to break it to you father, but unless I was to use one of those Conception Charms, I really doubt the Malfoy line was going to continue. Of course, I'm not opposed to the idea of having a little Neville running about the house causing mayhem and calling-" Draco was cut off by another sharp slap. He closed his grey eyes against the pain that shot through his jaw. It occurred to him that maybe taunting his father wasn't the best of ideas, but a small voice in the back of his head told him to divert attention from Neville as much as possible. He knew how Lucius Malfoy worked. He knew what the man was capable of. This was nothing new to him.

The blond man snarled and turned, his wand pointed at Neville. "Longbottom is nothing but an excuse for your pathetic behavior."

Stumbling to his feet, Draco steadied himself against the tree and shrugged as much as he could. He had to admit, if not to anyone else than to himself, he hurt more than he had ever hurt before. "It comes to mind that I would rather be pathetic than a complete maniac bent on destroying his son's life. Just because you have nothing to live for does not mean I don't. Maybe Mother was weak in your eyes, but to me, she was the strongest person I have ever known. She may have made mistakes but she chose her path in the end. She covered for Harry when he had expected nothing from her and she did it to save this _thing_ she called her family."

Lucius Malfoy turned to his son, he slammed the young man against the tree he had been holding on to with enough force to make Draco's vision swim. For a moment, he thought he might just actually pass out, but to his complete wonder, in seconds his eyes cleared and he was looking straight at his father again.

"You mother was an idiot who deserved the end she got."

Draco's eyes widened. Everything just seemed to fit together at that moment. It was as if there had always been a piece of the puzzle missing he had never known about until now. His mother's death. The way she had just sort of fallen ill. Everything. It had been wrong. He remembered thinking about it when it had happened. It had been sudden and mysterious. Nothing before that. She had possessed perfect health. His mother always had. It only made sense that this hadn't been natural, that her illness had been provoked by someone who had known her well enough to know just when to do it.

"You killed her." His voice was hoarse. The lump in his throat only getting bigger with the more he thought about his mother's death. It made sense. Everything made sense. He couldn't believe he hadn't seen it before.

He didn't need to hear the affirmative from the man. All he needed to see was the flash of emotion that passed through his father's eyes to know the truth. He had done it. Maybe not him, but he had, in a way, been responsible.

Struggling, Draco tried to catch another glimpse of his boyfriend. The ex-Gryffindor was looking at them with wide eyes. He had heard and Draco was certain that at that moment, he was feeling sorry for him.

Out of the corner of his eyes, the blond saw movement. If he hadn't been looking at Neville he wouldn't have caught it. But it was there, almost undetectable to the naked eye. It was swift and calculating. Keeping to the dark shadows of the trees in order not to be detected. He watched as the invisible bonds that had held Neville fell away.

It all happened too fast to understand. One moment he was being held by his father and the next Angelina Johnson was kneeling next to the blond man, Ginny Weasley right behind her and Lee Jordan helping Neville up, her fingers trying to find his pulse only to look with apologizing eyes at Draco.

* * *

**A/N: **Cliffhanger. There are people out there who probably want to kill me right about now. I wasn't going to put that last section with Draco in this chapter but I went against that.

Thanks to everyone who reviewed these past few months. I know, that sounded horrible. Anyway here is the list like always: **Anytha5, Lady Evans Potter, TIGGI1, nequam-tensh, choccream24, niwa-k, TribalWolves, twistyguru, SunChild1982, x8jessica8x, Rori Potter, Emerauldessence, Natalie668 (x3), beauty0102, gimmick09, SeverusDmitri18, IchigoRenj, TwilightEclps, Serpent91, Sheiky81, crocadile1986, LittleMissOverProtective**

I read all the reviews and I appreciate the things said. I do plan on doing a sweep of the fic once I have finished and edit out the bugs still in it. So, please bare with. :)

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Reviews are love. So R&R. :)


	27. Compromises

**A/N:** I know, it has taken me a long time to update, like several months. And I am doing it slowly, but the story is almost over and I am trying to write more often. Anyway, here is the newest chapter. Hope you like it.

**Disclaimer: I don't own anything Harry Potter or Twilight related. They belong to their respectful owners.**

**Summary: While Harry finally catches up with Hermione, the others have their own problems to contend with, mainly the Aurors. **

* * *

**Chapter XXVII - Compromises**

As soon as Leslie was free he pushed Blake away and stumbled over to Nick, Zach right behind him in case he fell down. He looked at Blaise, who had made his way over to them once more, trying to offer as much help to them as he could. "Can you help him again? As much of a pain in the ass as he is, he is still a pretty good friend." Leslie heard Nick groan his annoyance at him and he couldn't help but smiled, glad to hear that Nick could still respond to insults, even if they were weak responses.

"Granger took my wand, but we can start making our way out of here. Blake can lead the way back since I'm pretty sure that he saw which way he came from," Blaise said turning around and trying to figure out which way that was before coming to a complete stop. "Where's Weasley?"

Everyone, with the exception of Nick, turned in the direction Ron had been. And just like Leslie had said, Ron was nowhere to be seen.

"Edward's gone too," a small, timid voice said from behind the group.

Leslie glanced at the unknown girl before turning back to his friend, ignoring her for the moment. He looked at Zach, gave him a small nod and together they hoisted Nick up from the forest floor, one arm around his waist. "Nick, when you get out of this, lose a few pounds, please," he grunted.

He saw Blake roll his eyes, turning away from them before coming to a complete stop. In front of him stood three men from the Ministry in full flair, their Ministry robes displaying the badge of their office with pride. Their wands were pointed at them, steadily, as if already expecting them to fight back.

"Am I to assume that you guys didn't come here to help us. Because really, that would be too much to ask from you guys. Always doing the exact opposite of what people want you to do. It's a wonder how you guys get anything correct at any one time," Blake smirked and caught the flash of anger that crossed the Auror's eyes.

"You are all under arrest by decree of the Minister of Magic," The Auror in front said with a definite threatening tone.

"The crime being what?" Leslie couldn't help the retort. It wasn't like he didn't already know what they were arresting them for. Oh, he knew. He just didn't want the Aurors to feel that sense of superiority they got from their prisoners. He felt Nick tremble and prayed that his friend wouldn't pass out from the loss of blood and the strain on his wound. Despite Ministry officials being complete and total assholes, they would first have to look after Nick before they could proceed with anything else.

The man unrolled the parchment and made as if he was reading from it. But they knew that this was his job and the parchment was just to intimidate, like the robes and the wands. "Blaise Zabini, under the decree of the Minister of Magic, you are hear by under arrest for the crime of treason against your government." The man looked up at them and sneered. "You _all_ are under arrest." He put the parchment away and met Blaise's eyes. "We have been authorized to use force if necessary."

Blaise lifted up his hand to stop Blake from attacking the Aurors though he knew that if Harry's family really wanted to, the men would take out the visible and the invisible Aurors, no matter what _he_ said about it. "We'll go with you, but you have to help us with our injured. Nick needs help and I don't think he will survive the whole trip back to London." As he said that, he made a move to motion toward the man and was rewarded with a knowing look from the Auror who seemed to be in charge. "There's also a Muggle girl who seems to have suffered some damage."

"He will be taken to Salem." One of the Aurors immediately moved toward the injured man while another went over to Carrie, casting spells on her and disappearing seconds afterward without telling them where he was taking her.

Blake approached Zach and Leslie and took Nick up into his arms. He arranged him so he wouldn't hurt him and grumbled when Nick buried his face in his chest, seeking something he didn't know about.

"I'll take him." He leaned in further as he stated that obvious proclamation of taking Nick. "When you happen to see Harry, tell him where we went. Make sure he focuses only on what he's supposed to do and on defending himself. Hermione isn't the only out to get him and if he can take Kingsley down a notch then power to him."

Zach nodded and was so close to telling Blake that he would go with him and Nick but he felt Leslie's hand on his shoulder and faltered for a moment. It wasn't long but it was long enough to give the three going to Salem the time to disappear. He sighed and turned to his friend and Sara.

"You guys alright?"

They nodded and he couldn't help but notice the way Leslie seemed to draw closer to Sara at those words. He turned his attention back to Blaise, who was trying to convince the Aurors that they were innocent and the one they should be looking for was Hermione. It wasn't working. They were convinced of their mission and they wouldn't deter them from completing it. It wasn't like they had any other option in the matter. Blaise had gone against the law and now he was getting arrested for it.

"What's going on?" A timid voice pulled their attention away from each other and, once more, Zach turned to look at the girl that had been pulled into their predicament and who didn't seem to have any idea of where she was. "Who are you all?"

The Aurors froze and before anyone could answer or reassure her that everything would be okay, they had stunned and immobilized her.

"I really don't think that was necessary." Sara whispered loud enough for them to hear over the rain hitting the leaves of the trees. She froze when the Aurors turned to look at her and immediately stepped behind Leslie, who wrapped his arm around her waist, as if to stop them from doing anything to her. She wasn't a complete Muggle so they couldn't stun her like they had done with the other girl, but they could never be too careful.

Zach frowned, shrugged, and sighed once more before speaking up. "What are we waiting for? Let's get this over with." He allowed Leslie and Sara to go first before turning to pick up the girl the Aurors had so graciously knocked unconscious and then ignored. He looked up just in time to see Blaise surrendering a small something, which he could only think of being the portkey he and his team had acquired to get to Forks.

He glanced down at the girl and studied her for a moment. He didn't know who she was and what she had to do with Harry but she must have done something to get pulled into the problems Hermione had.

The Auror turned to him and motioned with his head to join the rest of the group.

He sighed once more and silently prayed that Harry would be okay, because he really would make the Aurors pay if something happened to the boy. There were many creatures out in the world who would stand by Harry Potter if the need came. The Ministry of Magic wouldn't stand a chance if it came down to it.

Gently, he moved the girl, even though he knew that she probably wouldn't feel a thing.

A moment later, he felt a hook behind his navel and the world started to turn.

~~~O~~~

Hermione ducked behind a tree before looking back the way she had come. She could hear her own panting and couldn't help but wonder if anyone else could hear it over the rain. It didn't help that she knew that her Death Eaters were otherwise preoccupied with the others in the forest. They were probably all taken down by Potter's friends and allies. So many people and none of them were good enough to do a simple task.

She hadn't planned on there being so many of them. She had only planned on the ones that lived with him. But the others, they weren't part of it. They weren't even supposed to be in the country and it only made her plan all the more impossible to work.

She took off again, not really even knowing where she was going but knowing that she had to keep moving if she didn't want Potter to find her. She still had a chance at getting what she wanted. She could still get to him but she had to get to familiar territory to do so. She hadn't gone through so much to just give up because her first plan hadn't gone as planned.

Something ran into her from behind and she went down, the wand she had held went flying a few feet from her and she immediately sough it out, trying to crawl through the nasty mess of the forest floor.

Rolling away, she came face-to-face with Ron. "Haven't you heard of never hitting a woman?" Her remark was snide, icy in tone and she had to stopped the grin that was threatening to make itself known as she saw the look of confusion on his face. The way the lighting seemed to light up even the smallest of emotions on his face made her giddy with excitement. "I didn't want to hurt you, Ron. You're still the only thing I have left. How do you think I feel when you don't want to back me up." She added a slight note of panic into her voice.

Ron pushed away from her and she took that opportunity to stand up as well. The wet leaves sticking to her skin, clothes, and hair. She pushed some hair from her face and gave him a small smile before raising her wand and pointing it at him once more.

"I really still love you, but I realized that you're going to be more a burden than anything else in my quest to stop Harry."

The red-head took a step toward her, intent on getting the wand away from her.

"_Immobulus!" _

Hermione smirked when Ron froze, his arm stretched out to her, but she walked around him, as if studying her work before she spoke up. "It's all for the best. Everything I do it so we can be happy and you just can't accept that there have to be some casualties for it to work."

"You're talking like Voldemort."

She wheeled around and faced Harry. "I've come to think that maybe Voldemort was right about some things." She waved her hand, the wand sending sparks. "Maybe, you _were_ supposed to die because Merlin knows that you've only made the lives of those who helped you a living hell.

"_Incarcerous!" _

"_Expelliarmus!" _Harry countered, running when he saw the trajectory of the spells.

The spells collided in the air and the explosion sent both her and Ron flying. She didn't check Ron and instead, as soon as she was up on her feet, she pointed her wand at the direction Harry had been. But she didn't see anyone and wondered if he had been knocked out. It didn't seem likely. Nothing was absolutely likely with him. He made the impossible come true.

She turned around, a twig breaking somewhere behind her, but the lengthening shadows the lightning created didn't let her see far.

"_Expelliarmus!" _

The wand flew out of her hand and she lifted her head to meet Harry's eyes. Her heartbeat picked up as Harry rushed her and they both landed in a heap on the forest floor. She tried getting some leverage on him, but ended up with her hands pinned over her head.

Harry lifted his free arm, his wanted pointed straight at her, his eyes burning with a rage he hadn't felt since Voldemort. Deep down it made him sick because this was a person who had been his best friend. Nothing could erase that. However, nothing could erase the fact that Hermione had been trying to set him up and kill his friends, hell for all he knew she had succeeded in killing Nick.

His hand shook from the effort of keeping himself from cursing her right then and there. "What did I ever do to you?" His voice was small, almost going unheard in the sounds of the rain.

"You still ask, when my whole life was ruined because of you." Hermione smirked, almost as if he didn't have her pinned.

"I didn't do anything."

"All you had to do was not talk to us."

"You were the one who befriended me!"

"And I regret every moment of it," she snarled.

"Then couldn't you just leave me be?" Harry was practically sobbing by then. The fact that Hermione had never really meant to be his true friend was barely now catching up with him. It was painful to know that all those years he had been confiding in her and telling her his every problem were nothing but a farce; that she had never really wanted anything to do with him. She had helped with everything that had been thrown at him because of her own personal interest, not because she really thought it would be of any help to him.

"I should kill you," he whispered softly, his voice barely audible, but this time because he couldn't seem to make himself talk louder.

Hermione burst into a fit of giggles. "You're too much of a hero to kill unnecessarily."

Harry didn't look up when there were a few loud cracks in their vicinity. Instead, he kept his gaze on Hermione, his fingers tightening around his wand, his knuckles turning white from the force he was using.

So many voices running around his head, telling him to just do it, to just turn her in. To let her go and just forget about everything. He wanted to listen to all of them. He wanted to do everything that he was hearing, but he knew that he had to make a decision, a decision that he didn't want to do because it meant hurting someone he had cared about.

"You don't want to do that, mate." Harry was momentarily distracted by a voice to his right. He glanced up and met Ron's eyes.

They were pleading him not to do anything more. His red hair plastered to his head as he placed a hand on Harry's arm and shook his head. "She doesn't deserve your compassion, but she also doesn't deserve dying when Ministry officials can do what we can't." Harry was confused. He was sure Ron was on Hermione's side, but here he was, trying to get him to just let it go and let the Aurors do their job. Here he was changing his mind about a decision he had made that had hurt him in a way nothing else had. Harry didn't know whether to do what he said, or do the opposite because he was saying it.

Taking a deep breath he turned back to Hermione, pressing his wand against her neck, wanting so badly to utter those two words. "You're on her side," he whispered and wondered if he had really said them because Ron didn't answer and he didn't give any other indication that he had. "You're on her side!" He turned back to Ron, never letting his wand waver. "You just want me to let down my guard so you can escape and come after me again. You killed Nick!" he sobbed.

"We won't let her come after you again, Mr. Potter."

Harry was startled by the voice. He didn't have to look far to see the man who had spoken almost in his ear. He took in the Ministry robes, the badge that let the world see that they were Aurors and a sense of respite filled Harry, only to be consumed by anger and pain the next second.

The man seemed to see the change in Harry because he grabbed his hand and took the wand Harry was holding loosely now. He didn't pocket it, keeping it out in the open so that Harry knew that he was going to give it to him as soon as he got away from Hermione.

A pair of strong arms lifted Harry from Hermione and the Auror immediately moved to bind the witch before the other two Aurors moved in and took over the job of keeping her from attacking Harry once more.

"This won't stop me, Harry," she whispered, the malice obvious in her voice. She tried twisting out of the men's grip and instead settled for launching herself at him only to be stopped once more. "For the rest of your life you're going to be looking over your shoulder wondering when I'll get free and come after you again." The laugh that took over the sound of the rain was hysterical. It was the laugh of a woman who knew that she wasn't going anywhere else, but still had hopes to reach the goal she had set for herself.

Grant motioned for them to take her and turned to Harry, before giving him his wand and lifting his eyebrow at the vampire who had his arms wrapped around the brunet.

Harry took a deep breath and continued to stare at the place where Hermione had been a few seconds before. "What are you going to do?" his whispered quietly and was rewarded with a tightening of Edward's arms. "I suppose you want me to return to London." He met the dark eyes studying him carefully before taking a step away from Edward.

"I didn't really come here to arrest you."

"Then what?" Edward's voice was gruff and he grabbed Harry's arm, pulling him against him once more and ready to bolt if the man wanted to cause his Harry harm.

The man took a deep breath. "Minerva McGonagall was arrested on the counts of treason against the Minister and the Magical Community. At this point there must be riots exploding all around our world and you're the only one who can push Kingsley out of his position." He waited for Potter to say something and when he didn't he started pacing, ignoring the fact that he was soaking wet and his robes were sticking to him like a second skin. "I don't like you."

Edward growled and Harry narrowed his eyes at him.

"The feeling's mutual," Edward snarled and started to pull Harry away from the Auror.

"You two don't understand what is happening in London while you're having a petty little schoolyard fight."

"Then enlighten us."

Grant noticed that the vampire was doing all the talking and couldn't help the surge of anger. "While you fight each other, people who were once well respected and held at the highest authority are being tossed out of their homes all because of a man who thinks he is king of the world. So you will excuse me if I don't like the Great Harry Potter."

"What do you expect me to do?" Harry's voice sounded defeated even in his own ears and for the first time since Hermione had been taken away, he noticed the redhead at the edge of his vision. "Do you expect me to just go waltzing back into a world that threw me out at the first chance it got? Do you expect me to help you get rid of the Minister of Magic when you lot have done nothing but ruin what little of a life I manage to construct?" He pushed away from Edward and paced the space between two trees, a hand running through his hair. "Because it doesn't seem to matter where I am. You always find me when you need me and when I need the world to believe in me you couldn't care less."

The Auror could practically feel the bitterness radiating off of the young man. He wasn't one to sympathize with the man, but he knew that Potter had a point. If it wasn't for the Ministry, he would probably have had a relatively normal life. He would probably have settled somewhere and lived his life in peace, with no cares other than what he would eat for dinner that night.

However, this was neither the time nor place to have that particular conversation.

"Minerva is counting on you doing the right thing."

"What right thing is that?" Surprisingly, it was neither Edward nor Harry who asked, it was Ron and there was a particular venom behind his words as he directed them at Grant. "I may not be the exact person to stand up for Harry, especially after what I did, but he has a point. We turned our backs on him and threw him out of the only real life he had known. Why would he go back and save that very same world that threw him out?"

He met Harry's eyes and pleaded him to understand why he had done it. His heart sank when he saw Harry look away from him, as if it had never happened.

Grant sighed. "There are still plenty of people who will stand by your side through all your trials if they were to be repeated. There are still people who remain loyal to their ideals and all you're going to do is let them down when they realize that Harry Potter is holding all of them responsible for the decisions of two power hungry individuals."

Harry rubbed his hands over his face and took a deep shuddering breath. The Auror was right. He didn't need to look far to see the people that would stand by his side. Edward was there for him and Blaise and his team had gotten together to stop Hermione and Ron from causing him problems because they wanted to protect him, even if they had gotten hurt in the process. There was Blake, who had adopted him because he wanted to, not because he had been forced. The Cullens, who were at the house at that moment, waiting for news about them. McGonagall had gotten arrested to stop what was happening in their world. He couldn't just stand there and let them all take a fall with no results.

It had to stop because if no one else did it, where would the British Magical Community be in a few years? In the hands of a tyrant who wanted to keep his power at all costs? It wasn't just about him, it was about the whole world knowing that in time of crises, they stood together and acted as one.

Voldemort had bought about a civil war. The end of that war should have been to the result of one united power under their leader, not a community in terror of talking to one man because they would be accused of treason.

"Edward, I need you to go back to the house and tell Luna where I went. You can wait for the others there-"

Grant interrupted him. "That won't be necessary. Your friends, the ones that Granger held hostage were already picked up and arrested. I sent a couple more Aurors over to your house to pick up Miss Lovegood."

Edward and Harry both froze before Harry wrapped his arms around the vampire's waist and apparated them out of the forest and to the house. Now that Hermione had been taken away, the wards on the forest had been depleted. There was nothing stopping them from coming and going as they wished.

~~~O~~~

Alice panicked. In the last hour, her visions had started reverting to the future. And what she had seen wasn't something that would bode well for Seth and Luna. There was only so much the shape shifter could take in a couple of hours.

She yanked one of the few newborns left in what had once been a beautiful house and forcibly removed its head. In the back of her mind, she decided that after this, she deserved a good long shopping spree. Maybe she could take Luna with her. The girl needed more clothes that could help her with her shape shifter buddy. Even if she already had all his attention.

The vampire pixie wasn't paying attention as she tore the newborn apart. Her thoughts going to the witch who had messed with her gift. If she ever got her hands on her, she would rip her apart like she did with the vampire she was throwing in the fire. She normally didn't keep a grudge because it was too much work and she would much rather be doing something creative with her time, but Hermione had it coming. She hope Harry did some damage to her.

Turning around, she grabbed a vampire that was trying to rip Sam apart and snarled at the shape shifter when he made a move toward her.

Ignoring him, she took off in the direction of Seth and Luna, who were trying to get rid of the last part of the vampire they had been fighting. She grabbed a handful of Seth's fur and pulled him away from the blond girl.

If she hadn't been a vampire, her heart would have been thumping at that moment.

Seth phased and she turned around, trying to give him as much privacy at possible. "What is it?"

She peeked and turned completely, taking in the young man's disheveled appearance. "You have to get Luna out of here." Her voice was horse, but she tried to dismiss that fact. When she saw the look of uncertainty in his eyes, she shook her head and pushed him toward Luna. "You guys have to go, now."

But before she could urge them out of the vicinity of the house two cloaked men made an appearance and moved toward Luna, their intentions clear.

The vampires took a stance in front of the witch, not caring if she could take care of herself. The wolves, moving away, but keeping close enough that they could protect their own if the need came to it.

"Miss Lovegood?" One of the Aurors stepped forward and seemed to look through the vampires.

Luna pushed past the Cullens and gave them a small smile before holding out her hands in front of her. "Harry's not here," she said quietly, her voice taking on some of the tone it had before the war, before everything had started to fall apart for her. She gave them a mysterious smile when she felt the bonds around her wrists and took another step toward them, only to be stopped by the sound of the wolf that had been helping her the whole day.

A warmth spread through her that could only be described as a certainty that Seth belonged in her life, that she could count on him no matter what.

"It's okay, Seth. Everything is going to be okay," Her eyes unfocused for a moment, giving her an appearance that she was looking right through the Aurors.

It made the Aurors take a step away from her before they could stop themselves. If there was one thing wrong with Ministry workers, it was that they didn't deal with the unknown correctly.

She gave them a wide smile. "Maybe I could ask a friend to come with me?"

The Auror shook his head, and grabbed her wrists before pulling her forcefully toward his partner. The trio turned in time to find themselves face to face with one Harry James Potter now Evans.

The Cullens who had been holding Seth back from attacking the wizards let the shape shifter go and he was immediately at Luna's side, knocking down one of the Aurors in the process of getting to his mate, all the while snarling at the other one.

"You guys have a mission, I get that," Harry's voice was low and deadly, anger visible in his eyes as he glance from one Auror to the other. "I would appreciate it if you two stepped away from her and released those bonds." When they didn't comply, Harry walked over to Luna and Seth and tapped his wand against her restraints. "You want me, then you have me. Luna goes no where, unless you want an angry shape shifter and his pack after your asses."

The two men immediately stepped away from the blond girl and the angry wolf.

When Harry saw that they retreated, he took one quick glance around the destroyed house and the huge fire in the backyard before he sighed and shook his head sadly. He should have known that nothing ever lasted. The house had been too good to be true, and now it was mostly destroyed and would probably take months to reconstruct. Blake would go apeshit when he found out about it.

There was another crack and they were greeted by the man Harry and Edward had met in the forest.

He waved the Aurors away and glanced at the two magical creatures that had clearly worked together to get rid of the vampire army and their leader. There was something to say about the Boy Who Lived if he could bring together two very different types of creatures and get them to work together.

"Mr. Potter…" He let the sentence trail off, keeping the authority in his voice for the sake of the Aurors with them.

Harry visibly sighed and his shoulders slumped. "It's Evans."

Everyone was taken aback by the response.

Edward wrapped a hand around his boyfriend before slightly sending a visible sign to his family and pulling Harry toward the Auror.

The Cullens didn't do anything but let the group go with several cracks. It would be a few days before they received any news of them.

~~~O~~~

Draco was kneeling next to his father, trying to find a pulse when he was pulled forcibly away and was rewarded with a small kiss to side of his neck. He immediately calmed down and let his boyfriend get away with pulling him away from his father. He allowed a small sigh to pass through his lips and he had to apologize to the others in the clearing.

Never once had he meant to lash out at Angelina for hurting the man who had given him everything he had ever needed and wanted. It had been an instinct. The man was his father and jinxing Angelina wasn't going to erase the fact that the man had tried to kill him. So for the moment, he let someone else tend to the man and see if he was still alive, because with his hands trembling and his thoughts whirling, he wouldn't be much help for anyone.

Several crack announced the apparition of the Aurors.

One glanced showed the remaining members of Blaise's team already captured and detained.

They had no choice but give themselves in without causing too much of a fuss.

Draco lifted up his arms and the others followed his lead, their wands flying from their hands as the Aurors disarmed them and then darkness engulfed them as jets of light hit them from all sides.

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**A/N:** So, thanks for anyone who reviewed and I am seriously thinking about leaving this story like this. Maybe follow it up with a sequel so it can be a total different plot line. Of course, the story wouldn't be as long as this one, it would just sort of wrap up everything. But I feel like if I keep the story going from here, it wouldn't be the same plot line.

So, if you all would be wonderful and go visit the poll. I would be very happy. :)

Anyway, I usually answer the reviews one by one, but at the moment my internet isn't really working, so thanks to: **Waking Darkness, Serpent91, choccream24, fifespice (2x), SunChild1982, NLaddict, beauty0102, Mrmikezabini227, Talia Gea, nequam-tenshi, rosa, Mudblood Hater, Bouncerok, Corruptmonk, phillg, T-TrainOrTurkeyT, Ossindie, Mariposadelaluna**

Cookies for everyone.


	28. Family

**A/N:** I'm really sorry for the wait. I got wrapped up in other school related activities and I had forgotten about this chapter, which has been sitting in my computer's hard drive for a few months now. Again, sorry for the wait. After this there is only a small epilogue, which I have already started writing and should be up next week. :)

**Disclaimer:** I do not own anything Harry Potter or Twilight related. They belong to their respectful owners.

**Summary:** At the Ministry, Auror Grant comes up with a plan to stop the Minister's laws. (Oh yeah, be warned, Harry is OOC since I found I needed to make him so for the chapter).

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**Chapter XXVIII**

Harry shook his head and ignored the look his boyfriend was giving him at the moment. It wasn't that he really wanted to or that he felt great about ignoring him, he just didn't want Edward to think that he had made the wrong decision because at that moment more doubts than ever were racing though his head. He didn't know what to do, not that he could really do much about anything, or at least he didn't think that he could.

The Auror was of another mind. Though Harry didn't really know why. The Auror didn't seem to like him at all.

Auror Grant had his mind set on this plan and Harry didn't think anyone could dissuade him from going through with it.

Running a hand though his hair, Harry leaned back into his chair and closed his eyes, oblivious to the fact that Edward was looking at him, wanting to draw him close, to protect him from everything that could cause him harm. Unaware that every time he caught the scent of a ministry worker he would tense in his chair.

~~~O~~~

"_There isn't much we can do, but if we manage to turn the MBE against the Minister, he will have no other option than to resign his position." Grant glanced at the vampire standing close to the Boy Who Lived and sighed audibly. _

_How was he expected to talk to the young man if he wouldn't even leave the vampire's side? _

_He watched as the young man visibly deflated, his shoulders slumping in defeat. There was a look in his eyes that spoke volumes of anger and outrage. If there was one place that he didn't want to be at, it was in an interrogation room at the Ministry of Magic and Grant couldn't really blame him for that. They weren't pleasant places. Of course, more so then any room in Azkaban, but less pleasant than any other room in the Ministry. _

_These room were meant for criminals. They weren't meant for someone who was supposed to turn the Minister's Board of Elite against the Minister himself. No, Harry should be out in the crowd trying to calm down the people who had gathered in Diagon Alley and places similar to it. Because he knew that despite the fact that he had dispatched the teams of Aurors as soon as he had returned, and told them to be resourceful and not hurt anyone, they wouldn't listen. With Kingsley as Minister even the students would end up hurt. Especially at Hogsmeade, where the students were making an uproar and were making the residents uneasy._

_Grant went to the door and whispered a small spell, the outline of the door glowed a bright green and he turned back to Potter._

_He couldn't help the shudder that went through him when he met the vampire's cold eyes. "The sooner you talk to the MBE the better off we'll be. The Aurors will only keep patient for a small period of time. Afterward, I can't tell you what will happen." He stopped to see of that got any reaction from him and continued when he saw the flash of panic. "I have already moved my contacts in America. We trespassed on their country and they'll want to know why. But it won't be enough to deter the Minister. You have to get _his _people from making any more decisions."_

_Harry nodded and took a deep breath. "How do I do that?"_

_He knew Grant was right. The American Ministry of Magic would want answers. If it wasn't played correctly, the British Community could lose all their support. With that gone, everyone else would follow. Despite the fact that America had a smaller Magical Community, they held a grand amount of power over them all. If they wanted to keep that support, they would have to deal with their minister first._

_Smiling, Grant sat down in front of the young man and glanced at the vampire once more before starting his explanation._

~~~O~~~

Rounding up all the people gathered was really not something he wanted to tend to at the moment. So the Minister of Magic sent his undersecretary away only for the man to be replaced with the one man he didn't want to see at the moment. Though, if Grant was back from his little trip it meant that he had either been successful or he had let the little Potter Brat get away from him. He didn't know which one would be worse, knowing that Potter had been so close to being captured or actually having him in custody.

On one hand he could make an example out of him but on the other he would prove all the people that had decided to gather in the Atrium that he really was a tyrannical leader, not something he needed with the way things were going. It wouldn't help his cause if they believed that. Everything he was doing was for the good of the Ministry and the Magical Community. If the Dark Arts weren't stopped before they started, then they would have another Lord Voldemort. The only one with the power to become something so strong was Harry James Potter.

"What can I help you with Auror Grant?" He had to admit, there was something about the man in front of his desk that put him off.

"Potter is in one of the Auror Interrogation Rooms and I have brought along his group of friends from America." Grant unrolled the parchment in his hands and glanced at it once before continuing. "We left Ms. Lovegood in America, but I'm sure she wasn't responsible or anything since she wasn't in the forest with the rest of them."

Kingsley shot up from his seat, his palms flat on the wooden surface of the desk.

Grant had the faint suspicion that he was trying to seem threatening.

"You were supposed to bring _all_ of them back. Why did you leave her behind?" His eyes flashed but the Minister controlled himself before he said something else. There was only so much incompetence he could take.

Sighing, Grant rolled the parchment up slowly, his eyes never leaving the Minister. "She is mated to a shape shifter. If we were to drag her back here, the shifter could get this community in trouble with the American Ministry of Magic. I didn't think you would want that, _Minister_." He let the words sink in for a moment. "In America magical community, all magical creatures are protected by a clause in the Constitution of Magic. They are more protected than a wizard. The protection expands to the mate of said magical creature."

Kingsley waved his hand as if dismissing the issue and sat back down. "Shifters aren't magical creatures."

"They are if what allows them to change is a magical core. You and I both know that Shifters in America are different from Shifters here. That particular clan of shifters are not only protected by the American Magical Community but by the vampire covenant close by."

The Minister nodded once before holding out his hand for the paper in the Auror's hand. "I have to make an appearance at Hogsmeade, so the interrogation with Potter will have to wait. I don't want anyone going in there until I come back. Get the MBE updated and let them know that a meeting is to take place to charge all the traitors you brought back. Including one Minerva McGonagall. I want a full account of their activities read back to them when the time comes."

Grant nodded. He watched for a moment as the Minster took a piece of parchment out and wrote something before sealing it.

"Give this to the Chief of your department. Congratulations, Auror Grant. You are now head of the Department of Magical Law Enforcement."

~~~O~~~

Harry paced back and forth across the small room and opened his mouth as if to say something, but seemed to think better about it. It had been like that for the past hour and Edward was seriously starting to rethink asking Harry to put up the barrier around his mind.

"Harry, sit down." He didn't give Harry the opportunity to decline. Instead, Edward picked him up and dropped him into the chair, wincing slightly when he heard the small gasp leave Harry. "I'm sorry," he whispered softly, his fingers carding through Harry's hair, in a soothing gesture, or at least what he thought was a soothing gesture. He didn't really have much expertise in soothing anyone. But for Harry he wanted to try.

There was a small click and the heavy metal door opened to reveal Grant.

Edward tried to ignore the glint in his eyes, but there was something about him that Edward didn't like. Maybe it was the fact that the man didn't like Harry. Or maybe it was because Edward didn't like the plan he had come up with. But Edward liked to think that it was just a combination of everything having to do with the man. Like the smell he gave off every time he came within close proximity of them. There was a tinge of fear and hate. Something Edward had only felt around the people they had fought back in the forest. Of course, the man's smell wasn't corrupted. It didn't smell of death and decay. It was clean, except for those smells that Edward didn't like directed at his Harry.

Grant closed the door behind him and placed a folder in front of Harry, a folded parchment fluttering to the floor. "There isn't much time. The Minister had to leave to check up on the situation in Hogsmeade so this is our chance to act. I have ordered a team of Aurors to bring up Minerva from her holding cell as well as everyone else we brought back with us. You'll only get this one chance, so I expect you to do it right."

Edward picked up the parchment and turned it over in his hands. "What is this?" He questioned, holding the parchment in front of him, trying to figure out how to open it.

The Auror snatched it out of his hands and slipped it into an inside pocket of his robes. "The Minister promoted me to head the Department of Magical Law Enforcement. He wrote a missive to announce my promotion but I have no intention of passing it along. I may like to succeed but that post is not in my list of things to do." He spread out the moving pictures of several wizards and witches on the table. Pointing to each he started to put names to the pictures. Making sure that Harry remember each and every name so he could address them by name when the time came.

Of course, Harry no such thought of addressing the MBE members by their names.

~~~O~~~

Harry hurried to keep up with the Auror, his wand already up his sleeve in its holster. He knew Edward was keeping his distance a few steps behind them and he was grateful. He couldn't be distracted with Edward's presence when he was trying to listen to the man that was supposed to be explaining the plan that he had already come up with.

The man stopped outside a set of wide double doors and turned to Harry, his hand going into the inside pocket of his robes. He was the complete opposite of the younger wizard at that moment. His robes spotless and pressed, while Harry's clothes were covered in mud and things he didn't even want to think about. He hadn't seen himself in a mirror but he knew that somewhere, there were still leaves stuck in his hair. Not to mention the bags he had under his eyes from all the stress of the day. No, he wasn't in the best condition to step in front of an audience, trying to convince them about something that they probably didn't want to be convinced of.

Auror Grant handed Harry a handful of wands and Harry took them carefully, sparing them a quick glance before tightening his hands around them, clutching them to his chest, almost as if they were a life line of some kind.

He felt Edward's hand on the small of his back and leaned into the touch automatically.

"I thought the wands had been confiscated."

The Auror threw him a glance before grabbing the handle of the door to pull it open. Harry could hear the small buzz of what could only be conversation from the other side. "Let's just say that being the Head of the Auror Department has its perks. All I had to do say that we were looking for traces of dark spells."

Harry nodded slightly and took a deep breath. He couldn't do much else because Grant had decided it was time to put their-no his because this wasn't Harry's idea, he didn't even want to be involved-plan into motion.

When the door opened, Harry looked around. The first thing that struck him was that this wasn't, in anyway, the same as the Wizengamot. There was no elaborate plan behind the sitting. It reminded Harry of the jury people he had seen in shows when he had been home alone because the Dursleys had been out on some office luncheon or some other celebratory meeting. Except, there were no stands for the judges or witnesses. There wasn't a place for the audience. The chairs were set up in three rows that curved halfway around the room. They were evenly spaced out so as to create a sort of semi-circle that would make the room seem smaller and almost every chair was occupied. There were a few that were empty and Harry knew that one of them belonged to the Minister and the other to Headmistress McGonagall.

The ceiling was low and the walls just gave off that vibe that screamed "closing in".

Standing in the middle of the room were all of Harry's friends, including Blaise and his team of ragtag young wizards and witches, Ron, Neville, Draco, Leslie, Zach, and Sara. Their expressions were schooled, as not to show the people before them any emotions, or at least Blaise and his team were, the others were trying to ignore their prosecutors. Their hands were bound behind their backs with what Harry could only guess were spells because he couldn't make out an ropes or ties.

His eyes met those of Minerva McGonagall and he let out a small sigh as his hands tightening around the wands.

Almost immediately the conversation died away and all eyes were reverted to them. There were several intakes of breath as they took in the vampire that was hovering next to the wizard they were trying to imprison. Then the accusing eyes widened when they noticed that Harry James Potter wasn't bound in any way, shape, or form.

"Auror Grant, what is the meaning of this?" A man sitting on Harry's far right whispered angrily. His back ramrod straight. His hands clenched around a stack of papers in his hands. He looked as if at any moment he would jump up and curse them all where they stood.

Harry couldn't remember his name. Truth be told, he hadn't paid attention to any information that Grant had given him, except for the fact that many of them were there because they didn't have any other way of showing their stand in the magical community. It was their only way of not being associated with the Boy Who Lived, there only way of keeping their families safe from exile.

"I didn't think Mr. Potter needed to be bound," Auror Grant stated almost lazily.

The Wizard from before shot up, his hands braced on the surface in front of him, the papers fluttering to the floor. "You gave him back his wand!" His eye twitched as his knuckles went white from the force he was using on the wooden railing. "Mr. Potter wasn't supposed to get his wand back, Auror Grant. The Minister will be hearing of this-"

"It's Evans." Harry's quiet voice seemed to reverberate through the room despite the fact that he had just spoken over an angry, loud man.

For a moment the man seemed dumbfounded. He blinked several times before he found his voice once more. "Excuse me?"

Harry held his head up and met his gaze. "My name is Harry James Evans. Officially my father is Blake Clayton Evans. If you would like to look it up you will find that the papers are all there and legal. I would very much appreciate it if you called me by that name."

The man's eyes narrowed dangerously, but before he could answer a witch two seats down to his left interrupted him.

"That will be enough. Mr. Po-Evans, if you would please stand in place we will start this." Her voice was cold, but Harry could see the trepidation in her eyes as she glanced at the other man. He knew her. She had been one of the Ministry members who had sat during his examinations during Hogwarts. He just couldn't remember her name. Maybe he _should_ have paid attention to Grant when he had been explaining who they were.

Harry shook his head and pressed one of the wands into George's hand. "No. I'm not going to stand here and listen to you bunch of idiots point out my every flaw while out in the Atrium and Hogsmeade your Aurors are trying to subdue a group of people that you should be protecting." He pressed his wand against Blaise's wrist and as soon as he was free gave him his wand. "Get up. We're going for a walk."

He turned just in time to watch the MBE members pointing their wands at him. There were more of them and if it came down to it, they could easily call reinforcements, but Harry didn't want a confrontation. So, he ignored the wearied look Auror Grant gave him and motioned for Blaise to move.

"I really wouldn't advise attacking me. Edward doesn't like when I get hurt. We're not going to do anything to you. Trust me. That's not that this is all about. I just want the lot of you to stop and listen for a moment." He watched as Blaise and the others took their wands and pushed them toward the door.

Grant walked up to him. He grabbed a handful of Harry's shirt, his face inches from his. "What the hell do you think you're doing? This isn't what we talked about," he snarled.

Harry placed a hand over Grant's trying to pry his fingers open. "I don't like being manipulated. I've had enough of that in my life and honestly, did you really think that turning the Minister's Board of Elite is going to be enough. You do that and you unravel the whole ministry." When Harry finished it was to noticed that the others were already out the room and probably waiting for them in the hallway. "You need to make the people see what the Minister is doing to them. The wrong they are doing to everyone. The MBE is only a handful of people compared to the hundred of thousands out there."

A soft growl sounded behind Grant and he immediately let go of Harry, stepping back only to walked into Edward, who grabbed his arm and pushed him away. His eyes raking over Harry to make sure that the wizard hadn't been hurt.

In order to reassure Edward that he was okay, Harry took his hand and pulled him out of the room and toward the group waiting outside. He kept his gaze down, trying to ignore the fact that Minerva McGonagall was giving him a hard stare almost willing him to not confront the rest of the Wizarding world. If he were to look up, he would never gather the nerve to do what he had to in order to be left alone like he wanted to be.

There was a soft cough to his left and Harry lifted his eyes from the floor and immediately regretted doing so.

He met the eyes of one Amos Diggory. There was a masked pain in there and Harry knew that the man hadn't been able to get over the death of his son. He was probably at that very moment remembering that Harry had lived while Cedric had died.

Taking a deep breath, he looked away.

~~~O~~~

The Atrium was full. People were trying to push past the line of barriers the Ministry Officials had put up right before the fountain. They were yelling and screaming obscenities at the Magical Law Enforcement. At one point spells had started flying from the mob of people and the Aurors were trying to quell the riot without harming so many people because it went against their orders.

It wasn't working. The Atrium was only meant to hold so many people.

Harry had never seen the place to full. When he'd been there the times before the only people were the Ministry workers and then only the ones hurrying from one place to another. Now…now the room didn't feel so big. There was hardly any place to walk. It was as if the whole British Magical community was trying to fit itself into this one building, trying to get at the Ministry be it for one thing or another.

He wasn't trying to delude himself into thinking that all the people had come to stand up against what the Minister was doing. Most of them were probably there just to be there.

Sighing, Harry climbed up on the rim of the Fountain of Magical Brethren and placed his fingers in his mouth, whistling to capture their attention. When that didn't work, he pressed his wand to his throat only to be stopped by Edward.

"It's okay." Harry smiled briefly. "_Sonorous!" _Out of the corner of his eyes he saw Edward lean against the fountain close to him. The others move away through the crowd to do who knew what, with the exception of Leslie, Sara, and Zach, who opted to stand next to Headmistress McGonagall since none of them had magical abilities that could really help Harry out.

"ENOUGH!" Harry's voice rang out through the Atrium and everyone stopped almost immediately. They turned to see who had yelled and gaped at Harry, not believing that he was standing on the rim of the fountain, his wand in his hand and was yelling at them. Some of them yelled out in outrage, others just stood there trying to take in the Boy Who Lived.

Harry lowered his voice slightly. "What are you doing?" He looked out at the mob and took another long, deep breath. "What is it you're trying to accomplish with this? It this what we all tried so hard to keep? This fighting between each other." A murmur passed through the crowd. "If this is what happens after the biggest threat _this_ world was facing is destroyed, then what was the point of all those people dying? We're supposed to be living in peace. We're supposed to be happy that _Voldemort_ is gone."

The crowd seemed to wince as one when the name left Harry's lips. But he ignored it and went one. "I know that everything the Ministry is trying to do is to stop the next Dark Lord, and more than likely there will be one because that's what power does to a person. But how do we know that that person won't come along one hundred, maybe two hundred years from now? How do we know that that time is _now_? And how are you any better then Voldemort? He swept his gaze over the crowd.

"Think about it." Harry paused for a moment and froze slightly when he saw Molly Weasley in the crowd, her eyes trained on him, as if he was the only person in the room. "Voldemort wanted to rid this world of Muggle borns," he whispered quietly but he knew that everyone could hear him. "He didn't want pureblood wizards and witches to mix with diluted blood. He killed them and punished them for what they were, for being something they didn't have any control over. How is that any different from what the Ministry and most of you have been doing because they associated with me? We sit here and think that this is what is best for the our world, but we never give a thought to what happens to those people we push out. We never think about what those people feel when you decide that they're not good enough because they once talked to the Boy Who Lived, not Harry Potter, but the _Boy Who Lived_."

Several people in the crowd cheered and Harry shook his head slowly. "I don't feel like I should tell you what you should and shouldn't do. I don't _want_ to tell you that. Blimey, I never wanted to do that. No matter what the Minister says, I have never wanted or wished to hold so much power or to be some dark lord, bent on world domination. Since I was eleven all I wanted to do was live my life and the moment that I start doing so the Ministry passes some law that decrees that everyone who ever befriended me should be thrown out of their homes. That they don't deserve friends and family. How is that any different from killing off Muggle borns?

"At Hogwarts, there was a group of students whom I taught and had the pleasure of seeing defend themselves against what has been the greatest terrors this community has ever seen. How does being associated with me make them less heroic? I gave money to the Weasley twins to start up their business. Does Fred's death mean less because of it? The first time I met Colin Creevey I disliked him because he practically worshipped the ground I walked on. But he died defending _this_ world."

Harry ignored the slight sniffing that had started up through the crowd. He ignored the fact that the reporters were busy with their Quick-Quotes Quills, trying to get every word he said. Instead, he focused on trying to get his point across.

"It's been two years since the end of the war. We shouldn't be fighting amongst ourselves. We should be happy. We should give thanks to the all the people who died to bring peace. Maybe one day, there will be a person who tries to bring their ideals into reality, but until that day comes, there isn't much we can do about it, except stick together and rebuild. We have to move ahead to give worth to all those lives lost. Make something that they would be proud of." Harry went quiet and reached out blindly, taking Edward's offered hand and hopping off the fountain rim. He ended the charm and rubbed his eyes roughly, trying to stave off any tears.

Edward hugged him tightly and started pulling him toward his friends when the crowd erupted in cheers. Harry's body went tense as people once more started to push against the barriers but for an entirely different reason now.

In the back of the crowd a chant started. A chant that grew in volume until the walls of the Atrium were reverberating and the ground shaking.

"Get me out of here," Harry whispered to Edward and Edward was about to do just that when the Floo network roared to life and out of it stepped the Minister of Magic.

He immediately turned to the Aurors and the MBE. "What are you waiting for? Arrest him or I'll fire you all." His eyes blazed as he met Harry's. His words faltered for a moment but he continued. "Potter is the reason why we are in his position." When no one made a move toward Harry, he pulled out his wand and pointed it at the Boy Who Lived.

Edward immediately pushed Harry behind him, intent on protecting his chosen.

"NO!"

The murmuring that had started when the Minister had arrived went silent when Molly Weasley took out her wand and took up a stance to protect Harry. She was followed by Amos Diggory. Neither said anything, but their furious gazes said everything.

"You are part of the MBE. Step aside, Diggory." The Minister snarled.

"I'm sorry, Minister. But I can't do that. Harry is right. All this time, we have been laying the blame on him for everything that we went through. If he hadn't destroyed Vo-Voldemort when he did, there would have been so many more deaths. Everyone who had stood in his way would have ended up dead. It's thanks to Harry that we can live without looking over our shoulder."

"He killed your son."

Amos shook his head sadly. For the longest time, he had blamed Harry, even if he hadn't wanted to admit it. He had done so. But He knew deep down that it hadn't been his fault. "Cedric was killed by a mad man. His death may not have been as heroic as others. But I know deep down that if it hadn't been for his help, Harry wouldn't be standing here. We _all_ wouldn't be standing here.

The people around them nodded and cheered and cried out their respects for Harry. But Harry didn't want to hear that. He didn't want to hear people proclaiming him as their hero. He didn't want to because he hadn't been the only one fighting for their side. Hell, most of his time the year Voldemort fell, had been spent hiding out in a tent trying to evade Death Eaters.

Harry pushed past his boyfriend and his two protectors. "I don't want you to only remember what I did. I don't want you to only remember that I fought against Voldemort. What I want is for all of you to realize that what you are doing to the Heroes of this community is wrong. They should be honored. Not thrown out of their homes. They should be recognized, not pushed aside because they were once my friends. Ron Weasley lost his job, he lost his friends, because you all decided that he wasn't good enough to have all that. Why because he was my friend. Losing a brother and having his father almost killed by Voldemort doesn't become less because he was by my side all throughout my school years.

"That's all I want. I want all of you to think twice about destroying a life. I want all of you to put yourself in their shoes. Realize what it's like to be part of this world one day and just completely thrown out with no one to turn to the next. Change your laws, but make this place a better place to live." Harry glanced at the MBE, who, with the exception of Amos Diggory, were all clustered together. "Don't pretend that it didn't hurt to lose a member of your family. But also don't pretend that you don't know what it's like for families to lose their children, husbands, wives because they decided to be my friends or comrades. I know it hurts now. I know it takes a while for the pain to go away, but you have to try to celebrate that your family members decided that this world was worth dying for. That this place was the one they protected. They didn't die because they wanted to, they died because they thought that by fighting they could give all of you a better place to live in."

The people were quiet even though the Minister seemed to be trying to think of a good way of refuting Harry's argument.

Harry was all but devoid of all hope when the MBE stepped forward as one. Their eyes trained on the Minister of Magic. At that moment, Harry knew why the Minister had chosen them for the job. Their eyes were cold, their face seemed set in stone.

The man who had yelled at Auror Grant was the one who spoke. His voice was clear and seemed to carry out across the Atrium without a voice magnifying spell.

"Mr. Potter is right, Minister. When you were left in office if was because we, as a community, were convinced that you would make this a better place due to the fact that you fought with Mr. Potter during Voldemort's return. We lost sight of what we set out to do because we thought the promise of another Dark Lord was too much. What Voldemort did to us we have been doing to other families. How many families have we torn apart because we wanted to prevent that rise in power." The man took a deep breath and held out his hand to the Minister. "If you would please hand in your wand. We will return it to you when you have resigned from the position of Minister of Magic. At which time you will be able to return to your old life and ever single person exiled from the British Magical Community will be exonerated of any and all crimes of which they have been accused."

The man turned to Harry and gave him a small nod before allowing a small smile to appear on his face. "Mr. Potter…I mean Mr. Evans, you and your friends are free to go without the fear of the Ministry ever coming after you and your family."

Harry glanced at the Minister and then opened his mouth to ask about him but the man beat him to it.

"As you are well aware, I'm sure the American Ministry of Magic has already heard about the trespass onto their soil, they will want explanations and there is no more need of you getting into trouble for our mistakes. The Minister will be held accountable for all his decisions."

Harry nodded and turned to Minerva McGonagall. He gave her a small smile and she pulled him into a hug, her arms tightening around him in an almost painful way, but there was never another time when Harry wanted to cry the most.

"You have done well, Harry. Be proud of what you have accomplished."

He nodded and she was replaced by Mrs. Weasley. "I have never thought there would be a day when I would have to apologize to you, Harry. But I guess we always make mistakes. I'm sorry for everything we have and haven't done. I'm sorry that you had to look for a family outside of the one you already had." She took a deep steadying breath and smiled. "You're welcome to stop by the Burrow anytime you want. Bring your family. The more people the merrier."

He nodded and hugged her before turning to Ron. "Maybe one day you can come over to America and we can hang out. You know without you trying to kill me."

Ron laughed awkwardly and glanced at Edward. "Yeah, I'd like that."

Harry nodded and placed his hand in Edward's. "Let's go home, yeah? Luna and your family will be worried sick." He pulled the vampire past the now former Minister of Magic and motioned for his family to follow him.

They were going home. Home, where they were surrounded by shape shifters and vampires who were in a feud that went back longer than anyone of them could care to remember.

Harry smiled. He wouldn't have it any other way. Because when he had started his life over in America, he had set himself up to be loved and to love back in a way he had never thought to do so.

He glanced at Edward as he looked apprehensively at the green fire Draco had just gone through. One day he would have his whole family as well. One day, he would be able to bring into his happiness his godson. And they would live like the family Harry had always wanted.

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**A/N:** Thanks for reading. Constructive criticism is welcome so please review. Flames will be use for marshmallows.


	29. Epilogue

**Disclaimer: I do not own anything Harry Potter or Twilight related. They belong to their respectful owners.**

**A/N:** Here is the last chapter. It's shorter than the others, but not but much really. I'm thinking about doing one shots of their lives afterward. So stay tuned for those somewhere in the future. Enjoy!

**Summary:** After two years, Harry returns to Forks so find a couple of surprises waiting for him.

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**Chapter XXIX - Epilogue**

Harry sighed, his breath fogging up the window his head was leaning against.

"We're just an hour away from Seattle, Harry."

Harry nodded, but didn't reply to Leslie's remark. There were just too many things going through his mind. Most of them having to do with a certain vampire he hadn't seen in almost a year. He didn't know if the vampire still wanted him and if he didn't, he couldn't blame him. Seeing each other a couple of times over the last two years and phone calls every day didn't make up for not being together.

Not that Edward hadn't wanted to join Harry and his band. There had been long arguments about it and in the end Harry had gotten his way. He didn't want Edward to put his life on hold for him so they had compromised.

Two years.

If after two years of touring Harry still wanted to come back to Edward then he would be welcomed with open arms and they would make up for lost time. Today marked the two year deadline and Harry was barely going to arrive at the airstrip in Seattle.

He sighed again and turned his attention to his band mates.

Sara had her head in Leslie's lap. Her fingers flipping through a magazine that had Leslie on the front cover as the year's "hottest rocker," which of course made Zach snort every time he saw it. A two carat diamond glittered on her ring finger. They were just a couple of weeks away from their wedding and from the looks of it Alice and, surprisingly, Rosalie were planning it. Sara, of course, had accompanied Leslie to every single event they had. She had stood by his side, even when there had been rocky parts in their relationship.

"That's right, you have a date tonight." Nick's head flew up and his cheeks tinged slightly before he mumbled something that sounded like "none of your business" and went back to what he had been doing.

Zach, ever so persistent, switched seats and sat next to him only to poke Nick in the ribs. "Come on. Talk."

Harry, deciding that he couldn't let Zach have all the fun joined in on the teasing. "Is it that guy you met at the after party three weeks ago?"

Nick glanced at Blake, who seemed immersed in his book and gave a small nod. "Yeah. We're going out to a movie and then dinner."

Nodding his consent, Harry glanced at Blake and knew that the man wasn't as immersed into the book as he was letting everyone believe. He knew his adoptive father well enough to know that the man was paying as much attention to the conversation around him as Harry was.

Harry turned back to his window and watched as the lights below them flew by.

Blake and Nick had made a go of a relationship after Nick had gotten out of the hospital two and half years before, but Blake had ended it three months later when Nick had started to get too close. He had argued that they wouldn't work out because of the age difference. It hadn't matter to Nick but there had been nothing he could do. He had isolated himself from the band and it hadn't been until recently when he had started to give himself another chance.

He wasn't going to forget him. Harry knew. Nick was as in love with Blake as he was with Edward. Love like that couldn't be forgotten because you wanted it to be.

"You should invite him over to the house." Harry glanced at Nick and gave him a small smile. "We can get to know him, give you the all clear. You know…incase it turns into something bigger."

"Yeah Nick, he can meet Edward the vampire and Seth the shape shifter." Zach grinned.

Sara sat up and threw the magazine at Zach. "And Leah. Let's not forget Leah."

Zach's grin immediately slipped and looked away. "Why would we introduce Michael to Leah?" There was a small growl behind his nonchalant tone of voice that made everyone in the jet laugh.

When Zach had met Leah, he had imprinted on her and for the six the months that followed they had been inseparable. She had even forgiven Sam and Jacob for "letting" her brother imprint on a witch affiliated with vampires and other undesirable creatures.

Of course, like Edward, she hadn't really seen her mate much in the last couple of years. Harry didn't know how they had made it work when he had been desperate to see Edward and they weren't imprinted. Leah hadn't wanted to leave the reservation in case more threats came along and they had to defend it and Zach hadn't wanted to leave the band so somewhere along the line both had messed around with potions that would dampen the feeling of loss when they weren't together.

"We're joking, Zach." Harry whispered and turned his attention back to Nick. "I'm serious about inviting Michael over, though. I want to talk-"

Harry never finished his sentence because Blake slammed his book closed and made his way toward the back of the jet.

Instead, Harry leaned his head back against the window again and smiled slightly. Something told him that Blake wasn't as unaffected as he wanted Nick to believe.

~~~O~~~

Alice pulled Jasper and Emmett into the kitchen and pointed up the ceiling. "I want you guys to keep him occupied," she whispered, her voice low enough so it wouldn't carry up to Edward.

Jasper nodded, not needing to question his wife, but Emmett made a face and crossed his arms, trying to create an imposing stance that didn't frighten Alice in the least. Anyone else, Alice would have already shown their place, but Emmett made her smile.

He lifted his eyebrow at her and waited for her explanation. His stance reminded Alice of Rosalie, who was on her way back from Port Angeles with Esme. They had left earlier that morning with a mission and from what Rose had told Alice over the phone, it had been accomplished. Now all they had to do was keep Edward entertained until the time came. Something that shouldn't prove too difficult for Jasper and Emmett.

"Harry's arrives today. I talked to him this morning and he wants to surprise Edward. But I want to surprise the two of them. Luna already started setting up at their backyard. I'm heading over there right now."

Emmett grinned, but it slipped when he realized something. "How are we supposed to keep Ed away from the Evans house? You know he always goes over there to look around Harry's room."

She grinned. Something that would have scared the two males if it hadn't been for the fact that they knew exactly how Alice's brain worked and that grin meant she had something up her metaphorical sleeve and she needed them for it to work.

~~~O~~~

Harry's eyes were closed. The hum of the car lulling him to sleep. It had been a long flight from Australia to Seattle and he just wanted to sleep for a week. Of course, he could have slept on the jet, but the others had made it their mission to keep him awake through out the whole flight. It was a good thing Magical Sound would have absolutely nothing to do for the next year.

They all just wanted to spend some time getting their priorities straight. Weddings were in the near future and they wanted to enjoy them.

There was a painful jab on his side and he jerked up. His sleep immediately forgotten. "What?" he growled. He was ready to set Edward loose on them if they didn't leave him alone. He knew Edward would be only to happy to comply with a request that would make him happy.

Zach scrunched up his nose and then laughed. "You are really cranky when you don't get any."

Harry gaped at him and after a few minutes decided not to grace that comment with a response. He was not falling into Zach's games. Instead, he returned his thoughts to Edward. From what he had heard from Alice, Edward was waiting for him. So together, they had come up with a surprise for him.

He'd been told that Edward had taken to spending time in Harry's room everyday, playing Harry's keyboard, or just playing some music in general. Harry wanted to be there when Edward walked in later today. He just hoped Edward wouldn't change his mind and not go today. He needed to see his lover. He needed to feel Edward's touch on him, the way their body temperatures clashed to create a sensation within Harry that made him beg for more.

Sighing, he lifted his head just in time to see the huge, white house appearing in the horizon.

No sooner had he gotten out of the Lamborghini when he heard a loud exclamation of excitement and Alice flew through the front doors, followed closely by Luna, Esme, and Rosalie. He was hugged by each of the females before Alice started pushing him up the steps and into the house.

"Up to your room. I've laid out some clothes. Draco is waiting for you so he can try to do something with your hair." Alice's voice left no room for argument, so Harry didn't have an time to wonder when Draco had gotten back from his honeymoon with Neville.

~~~O~~~

Edward wanted to tear Emmett and Jasper apart for keeping him away from the Evans house, but the mere thought of an angry Rose and Alice made him rethink. He had a feeling that they were up to something, but after much prodding and pleading (who knew Emmett could plead so well) he had given in and had gone hunting with his brothers.

Now he was slowly making his way to Harry's house, where he knew his boyfriend's brothers and sister would be. Draco and Neville had surprised them all by coming back a month early because Draco had been feeling unwell and he hadn't wanted to ruin their special time by getting Neville sick in an unknown country. The idea of sickness had been shot down by Carlisle, who had been happy to inform the newly married couple that Draco's illness couldn't be passed to Neville by simply being in the same room as him. It had taken both a while to catch on and they had only done so because Carlisle had taken pity on them and had told them in simple terms that they would have a new family member.

Draco had fainted and Neville had been unable to form a coherent sentence for a while.

Edward smiled softly and opened the front door, stepping in without a sound.

They had been surprised, but happy. Surprised because Draco had never once performed a Conception Charm on himself in the time he had been with Neville. And happy because Draco needed a bit of happiness in his life after his father had been incarcerated for what seemed like the tenth time. After Angelina had knocked him unconscious he had been taken to the Ministry and a few days later, tried with the rest of the Death Eaters and Granger in what would be the MBE's last decision at the Ministry of Magic.

Very gently, Edward pushed the door to Harry's room open, his mind still on Hermione.

She had been sent to St. Mungo's and placed under the close eye of the Psychiatric Ward's healers. She'd been administered a potion that would dampen her magic, preventing her from escaping the room.

Edward closed the door behind him and his head snapped up at the familiar smell that assaulted his senses.

"Hey, love."

Despite the fact that Edward didn't have to breath, he felt his throat closing off as he laid eyes on his boyfriend for the first time in a year, the last time being Draco's wedding. It had been a hard year and without Harry, even harder. But he had known that the band's journey needed to be between the band and had given Harry the chance to make it alone despite the fact that every single one of his senses had told him not to let him go alone.

He took a step toward Harry and stopped when he took in the clothes that he was wearing. He let his gaze roam over the low slung jeans and the black button down shirt finished in green stitching. Harry had folded the sleeves up so it only covered three-quarters of his arm, revealing the watch Edward had given him for his birthday. He caught a flash of black and his hand grabbed Harry's wrist, turning it around to reveal the tattoo. It was a simple art. Just an "E" and an "H" but it made Edward growl possessively wanting to leave his own mark on him.

"I missed you," Harry whispered, stepping closer to Edward. He buried his face in the crook of Edward's neck and inhaled deeply, wanting to breath in Edward's scent. "You have no idea how much I missed you."

Edward growled again and swept Harry off his feet, literally. He placed him in the middle of the bed and laid down next to him, capturing Harry's lips immediately. He didn't let Harry pull away from him until he felt it was necessary for Harry to take a breath, and by then, he could smell the heavy scent of arousal coming from the young wizard.

The vampire ran his hand down Harry's ribs, until it settled on his hips, his thumb caressing the exposed skin where the shirt had ridden up. "Who dressed you?" His voice was husky and he knew that if Harry kept looking at him like he was he wasn't going to be able to hold back. Not that he really wanted to.

Harry gave a short laugh and pulled Edward down on top of him, his arms snaking around Edward's neck and burying themselves in his hair.

"Alice and Draco," Harry whispered, his head moving to the side to allow Edward further access to his neck. It was amazing, what he was feeling. He completely lost his train of thought when Edward pressed his obvious erection against Harry's thigh.

They'd done this before. The first time it had take a lot of persuasion from Harry's part. But they'd both found out that Harry grounded Edward. He was the one thing Edward couldn't hurt. He'd been gentle with Harry and after the first time had been over with, afterward, it had been much easier for Harry to drag Edward to bed with him. Of course, Edward was much gentler when he had just fed, even though he didn't consider Harry food. But sometimes, Harry liked the fact that Edward would let his gaze linger a little too much on him and next thing they would know they would be in bed, a silencing spell the only thing that kept Blake from killing Edward.

Harry groaned and pressed himself further into Edward, his hand reaching for the buttons on the vampire's shirt.

Edward helped him by shrugging it off and then letting Harry undo the button on his jeans. The wizard was just about to pull down the zipper when the room door was thrown open and Alice waltz in, an unrepentant look on her face.

She grinned when Edward pulled away from Harry hurriedly and grabbed his shirt from the floor.

"Alice." There was an obvious threat behind Edward's soft voicing of her name, but she didn't care, instead she went to the bed, grabbed Harry's arm and tugged until he was on his feet, ignoring the fact that his face was bright red in embarrassment. "We were busy, Alice."

Alice wagged her finger at Edward and kept pulling Harry after him. "Don't get too impatient, Ed. We have several surprises for Harry."

Edward just sighed and followed behind, trying not to think of how good Harry had felt under him just a minute ago.

The little seer threw open the double glass doors leading into the backyard. "TA-DA!"

Harry stood in the doorway, his eyes wide as he took in all the decorations and the guests standing in front of him. He reached back for his boyfriend and Edward immediately took up his position next to him, his hand slipping into his. It was almost as if they hadn't been away from each other for so long.

"How?" Harry made a face and hugged Neville, whom he hadn't seen yet. "I should expect things like this from you, Alice. But you always manage to surprise me." He hugged her again and went to greet Seth and the rest of the pack.

He liked seeing the smile back in Luna's eyes. She had returned to her normal nonsensical way, but it didn't bother any of them because Luna was Luna and she could be whom she wanted to be. Seth had been and still was good for her.

Edward followed Harry around as he went from person to person. It wasn't because he didn't want to let Harry out of his sight. It was because Harry wouldn't let _him_ out of his sight. The only time he let go of Edward was because he was going to great someone and even then, as soon he was done he would take Edward's hand again. Edward didn't mind. He didn't want to let Harry out of his sight either.

Wrapping his arms around Harry, he pressed a kiss to Harry's neck and smiled when Harry shivered. He was about to whisper something into his ear when the guests quieted and Alice stepped up to Harry once more.

"We have someone who wants to talk to you." Stepping to the side, she revealed Ron, his hands wrapped tightly around a roll of parchment. His gaze met Harry's for a moment before he swept his gaze over the audience, a sliver of fear in his eyes.

Harry stood frozen in place, not because he didn't want Ron there, but because he hadn't thought he would ever be able to see him again. He had been sent to Azkaban after the whole fiasco at the Ministry and Harry hadn't heard anything from him since.

"When-?"

"Um…a few months ago." Ron saw Harry's expression and swallowed, trying to get rid of his fear. "On good behavior. I guess they thought I wasn't much of a threat without Hermione." His eyes darkened slightly, but Harry couldn't be sure why. He just hoped it wasn't anger directed towards him.

Ron thrust the roll of parchment out at Harry and hung his head, waiting for the other wizard to take it. He didn't lift his gaze from the ground when he did. He waited, holding his breath, trying to hear if Harry was happy or if he was sad.

He almost cried when he heard a small sob escape the man he had once considered his best mate.

"Ron…this is…this are Teddy's adoption papers…." Harry whispered and threw his arms around Ron, sobbing softly, the parchment held tightly in his hand. When he pulled away, his green eyes were bright with emotion.

The red-head didn't trust himself to speak so he just nodded.

"How did you-"

"I…um…I have been working on it since I got out. I figured…I thought that one day you would want children and I thought of Teddy and how you should be taking care of him." Ron toed the ground. "I talked to Andromeda. She thought that after everything you've been through, taking care of Teddy is the least she can do to make you happy. We started the adoption process and," Ron took a deep breath, "when it went through, she signed them and all you have to do is sign them and Teddy can legally live with you."

Harry looked down at the papers. He bit the inside of his cheek and glanced at Edward. He wanted Teddy, more than anything else in his life. He was the only tie he had back to his dad, to Remus. He just didn't know if Edward would want to take care of the little werewolf pup with him. He didn't think he would be able to choose if it came down to it.

When Edward saw the look in Harry's eyes, he nodded and bent down, pressing a kiss to Harry's lips. "It would be an honor to care for your little boy."

Grinning, Harry threw his arms around Edward, untangled himself and hugged Ron once more. He didn't know when, but eventually a pen made it to his hand and the papers were signed. He was reward when a little boy was brought out from inside the house.

He was carrying a small backpack. His small arms wrapped protectively around a stuffed wolf half his size. His brown mussed hair was plastered to his head, as if he had just come from a very vigorous play date. Which, Harry was sure he had just done.

Behind the little boy stood Andromeda. But she didn't make a move to stop Harry when he took a couple of steps in Teddy's direction. So Harry knelt down in front of the little boy and held out his hand to him.

"Hey, do you remember me?" He waited for Teddy to do something. "I'm Harry. I used to visit you when you were smaller. A little baby." His eyes widened when Teddy's hair changed to black and his eyes turned green. "Do you want to live with me?"

Teddy nodded and handed his little wolf to Harry, trusting him with what seemed to be his most prized possession.

Harry sobbed, gathering the little boy into his arms and picking him up. He motioned Edward toward him. "Teddy, this is Edward. Edward is someone really special to me. If you let him, he would like to be someone really special to you too."

"Edward is going to be my papa?"

Both, vampire and wizard, stood shocked but "oh's" and "aw's" sounded from the women in their group of friends and family and Harry nodded. "Only if you want him to."

Teddy seemed to think about it before he reached out to Edward, his hair and eyes changing to match his. "_If_ he makes daddy happy."

The crowd cheered and Harry blushed. He moved closed to Edward and the vampire wrapped his arms around him, bringing him into the comfort that was now their little family. A moment later, they were congratulated and Teddy was fawned over by the women.

Something told Harry that Teddy was going to end up as spoiled as could be, but he didn't mind. He was going to try his hardest to raise Teddy. To make himself a family from what had been given to him. He had Edward and now the little boy he had loved from the moment he had seen him as a baby. He couldn't have asked for anything more.

~~~O~~~

Harry felt a breath close to his ear, so he turned away from Teddy, who was playing with Rosalie and Alice. They had immediately taken to the little boy, naming themselves his adoptive godmothers. They had even started planning his room and what clothes they would buy him as he got older. Which really scared Harry. He had just gotten custody of Teddy and they were already thinking about his future. He didn't want to think about it. He guessed, when the time came, Teddy would have to attend a magical school. There were options this time. Salem was great in America and if he ever returned to England, Hogwarts was probably going to have an open space for Teddy.

He felt Edward's arms wrap around him and he leaned back into the vampire, letting out a soft sigh.

Edward spoke, his voice soft, as if he didn't want to interrupt the atmosphere. "Carlisle gave the all clear. We voted while you were giving Teddy a bath. They want you as part of the family." Edward breathed in Harry's scent. Thanks to their little interlude after the party, his scent was now mixed with Harry's. He had never smelled anything better; never seen anything better than seeing Harry come undone under him, calling out his name.

"Give me a few years," Harry whispered and turned in Edward's arms. "Just one or two years. I know I have to do it soon because, otherwise, I can't pass off as easily as you guys, but wizards age differently than Muggles. It's a slower process. I just want a few years to enjoy him."

The vampire nodded. He placed a finger under Harry's chin and lifted his head up so he was looking at him. "Take all the time you need, Little Prince."

Harry nodded. There had been something left unsaid. Eventually Teddy was going to have to choose between staying his human self or Turning. But Harry saw that as too far off into the future. He wasn't going to care what Teddy chose, because in the meantime, he was going to love him and care of him, like no one had done for him when he had been Teddy's age.

For the first two decades of his life, Harry had been dealt a cruel fate. Forced to kill or be killed. Manipulated for all the right reasons. He had seen his family killed and destroyed. Now, finally, after so much suffering he was seeing sunlight at the end of the tunnel. He had started over, only to be sucked back into a world he had been forced into. It seemed that starting over for a second time had been the best decision he had ever made.

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**A/N:** There you go. Hoped you guys liked it. Like I said before. There maybe be a few one-shots showing up later on. Maybe Harry and Edward have a kid. -shrugs- Haven't thought about it yet. So if any of you have ideas, Review.

Cookies and brownies, or whatever you eat, for all those who reviewed "Starting Over".


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